Category: I-phone

The above picture was taken in the offices of Appency, a PR firm that helps market and sell mobile apps, including iPhone and iPad apps. It’s indeed a big iPad, though instead of a functioning touchscreen, the whole thing is actually a working whiteboard painted onto the wall. Founder Aaron Watkins tells TUAW that the studio moved into its new offices a couple of months ago, and decided to use a substance called IdeaPaint to literally paint a whiteboard on the wall.

Originally, they wanted to paint two whole walls with the stuff, but it’s pretty pricey, so instead, design intern Lorin Estes had the idea to turn the whole thing into a giant (to scale, we’re told) iPad. Pretty awesome — though not quite as portable as the real thing.

Whiteboard plus paint equals huge iPad at app agency originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Among other features, iOS 5 also brings WiFi Sync feature to your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch to wirelessly Sync iPhone with iTunes. These are the steps to enable Wi-Fi Sync and then wirelessly sync…

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

According to a statement published on the Apple Developer boards, all the data backed up by iOS 5 beta testers on iCloud servers will be reset (i.e Deleted) on Thursday, September 22nd. This iCloud…

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The Wall Street Journal had a short article about China getting the 3G iPad 2. It looks like it will be available in the standard 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models. Apple received certification on the device earlier this month.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) said it will start selling in China a version of its iPad 2 tablet computer with third-generation cellular-network compatibility on Wednesday.

The device will be available in Apple retail stores, via its online store and at authorized resellers, said an Apple representative. Apple currently offers only versions of the iPad 2 with Wi-Fi wireless compatibility in mainland China.

Source: Apple: To Sell 3G IPad 2 In China From Wednesday

This image, which is said to be leaked, shows part of looks like is the new iPhone with an A5 processor. The A5 processor is the same one used in Apple’s iPad 2. Many have predicted the this processor would be used, this is the first visual confirmation we have.

This is all pure speculation since we are unable to confirm if the photo is the real deal or not. Looks like we are going to have to wait until the release next month to tell for sure.

In addition to the processor this photo also shows the rumored larger speaker.

Source: Leaked Photo Shows Partially Assembled iPhone 4S/5 Components with A5 Chip

I’ve mentioned the open source Moai SDK for professional game developers which uses the open source Lua scripting language. I’ve come across another free Lua based option for developing games for the iPhone.

There are a few things that I really like about this tool.   Included with the tool is a basic IDE along with a font maker, and a texture packer so you can get started immediately within moments without the need to download any separate tools.

Also, you can use this tool on Windows.  While you can’t compile directly for the app store you can build Xcode projects on Windows which can be opened and run immediately in Xcode on a Mac.

The tool is Gideros Studio and you can find the download page here.

There already have been games built using Gideros Studio available within the app store such as Tim The Timber.

The free licensing option requires you to add a splash screen to your app.  Premium licensing options are stated as coming soon.

Looks like a good option if you are starting out and would like to get that first game out there as quickly as possible.  Especially if you are cash-strapped!

©2011 iPhone, iOS 4, iPad SDK Development Tutorial and Programming Tips. All Rights Reserved.

.

In the past I’ve mentioned some great tools in the past such as the excellent Accessorizer code generation tool, and I’ve come across a tool that I hope you’ll find just as useful.

This tool is designed to enhance your document browsing, and provides terrific support for managing snippets.  You can do so much with this tool, and I think you’ll find it’s a great timesaver.

Best of all the tool is currently available for free.

Here’s a list of features of the code snippet manager taken from the tool’s website:

• Collect snippets of code that you reuse often.
• Sync by saving your library in Dropbox.
• Over 80 syntaxes for code highlighting.
• Variable Placeholders can be edited before pasting.
• Abbreviations are expanded wherever you type them.
• Tag Cloud scales tags based on usage count.

©2011 iPhone, iOS 4, iPad SDK Development Tutorial and Programming Tips. All Rights Reserved.

.

Core Graphics is such a great library with so many useful functions.  I’ve mentioned tricks on using paths with Core Graphics in the past, and here’s another simple technique that demonstrates the usefulness of Core Graphics.

This tutorial demonstrates a very interesting effect by showing how to utilize Core Graphic’s CGPath as a guide for your particles. The resulting effect learned from the tutorial can add a nice touch to your apps.

Here’s a video demonstrating the tutorial in action:

You can find the tutorial here:
Generating Particles Along A Path

This tutorial does not describe how to create the particles, but references Tutorial 8 from the 71 Squared tutorials which was mentioned on the iPhone game tutorial with videos listing.

A very cool effect that can definitely add some polish.

©2011 iPhone, iOS 4, iPad SDK Development Tutorial and Programming Tips. All Rights Reserved.

.

This is the Simple PasswordScreen application. In this application we will see how to PassWordScreen display after pressing button. So lets see how it will worked.

Step 1: Open the Xcode, Create a new project using View Base application. Give the application “PasswordScreen”.

Step 2: Xcode automatically creates the directory structure and adds essential frameworks to it. You can explore the directory structure to check out the content of the directory.

Step 3: Expand classes and notice Interface Builder created the ViewController class for you. Expand Resources and notice the template generated a separate nib, PasswordScreenViewController.xib for the PasswordScreen application.

Step 4: Open the PasswordScreenViewController.h file and make the following changes:

Step 5: Double click the PasswordScreenViewController.xib file and open it to the interface builder. First drag the two label from the library and place it to the view window, select the label and bring up attribute inspector change the labels name into “Name” and “Details”. Drag two textfield and one round rect button from the library and place it to the view window. Now connect File’s Owner icon to the first TextField and select “userName” , do it once more for second TextField and select “password”. Select the round rect button and bring up Connection Inspector, connect Touch up Inside to the File’s Owner icon and select “PasswordAlert”. Save the .sib file, close it , and go back to the Xcode.

Step 6: Open the PasswordScreenViewController.m file and make the following changes in the file:

Step 7: Now compile and run the application on the simulator.

You can Download SourceCode from here PasswordScreen

I recently read an account of John McElborough’s talk at Brighton SEO 2011, wherein he advocated some ethically questionable SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) tactics involving creating a private network of fake blogs.

I don’t know John or his work, but this entire side of internet marketing and promotion makes me sad – and a bit angry. I fully acknowledge the value of, and need for, actual SEO; I just think that in many cases, the tactics employed under that title would better be described as Search Engine Manipulation or even Abuse.

I periodically check my blog’s referrers, and there are a huge number of sites out there containing duplicate content and links, some of them extremely convincing when viewed in isolation. It’s sleazy, it’s pathetic, and it damages the internet for everyone.

I’m asked sometimes for advice on building an internet presence, and I usually have to fumble for an answer – because I haven’t pursued any particular strategy beyond the glaringly obvious: create original, relevant content repeatedly.

The key thing to understand is that the rules of SEO aren’t magic or arbitrary. They’re based on the goals of a search engine, which is to find relevant results. Relevance implies genuineness, and genuineness implies trust. So, shockingly, you should try to make your site’s content trustworthy, genuine and relevant. All of the rules have come about due to their utility in detecting those three positive metrics. Good SEO is a by-product of not being a dick on the internet.

Consider a few examples of tried-and-tested “SEO tactics”, and why they actually came about.

• Use descriptive URLs, ideally containing the page’s title. Those URLs are easier to remember, easier to search for locally in your browser’s history, and provide a preview of the page’s topic. They’re desirable for the same reason that a well-crafted email subject increases the chance of your message being read.

• Make sure the page title matches the first heading. Why wouldn’t you do this? I mean… what else would it be? It’s the title. It’s what the page is about. It’s about trusting that you have any concept whatsoever of what a “title” even is.

• Incoming links are good. If people are linking to your stuff, it’s because they think it’s relevant or interesting. It’s the ultimate natural, organic process on the web. Real people, really thinking your stuff is worth showing to others. The message isn’t “create incoming links yourself”, you cretin, it’s “write something fucking interesting”.

• Use titles that are relevant to the content. The reason this happens is because you actually went to high school, and don’t have either a crippling brain-injury or a Monty Python-esque penchant for the surreal. The title should describe what you’re writing about, in a way that’s either immediately meaningful or will rapidly become so upon starting to read the piece.

• Use descriptive anchor-text for links. When you read an article online and the author references another page, you hate it when the link is simply “this” or similar. The reason that’s dickish is because you’re forced to choose right now whether to read it. You can leave it until later, but you do so entirely without the context it might have provided. If, instead, the anchor-text summarises the article, you can at least make an educated decision regarding if and when you want to follow the link. Is that difficult to understand, or unexpected? No.

• Keep writing. Relevance is a democratic process, and it also naturally declines if not actively maintained. That’s what relevance means. If you’re not willing to keep updating your site because you actually have something new to say, you don’t deserve to be thought of as relevant. Just accept it, and move on. Do something else. Be relevant elsewhere. You don’t strive for relevance; you just are or aren’t, to whatever current degree the rest of the internet feels appropriate. Some topics retain relevance more than others, but ultimately it quite rightly declines.

And so forth. This site doesn’t get massive traffic by any means (around 8,500 feed-pulls per day, and about 125,000 page-views over the past month), but this “strategy” scales. It’s how to do SEO the right way; honestly. The value of your content will never entirely go away, but much more importantly your trustworthiness will only increase over time.

Anything else is trickery, and an attempt to cheat the system. It may work for a while, but eventually you’ll be found out and rightly penalised. By going for search engine abuse instead of actual optimisation, you’re dooming yourself to eternally be finding new ways to deceive people and reduce the effectiveness of the very technologies you’re relying on. That seems sleazy, depressing, ignoble, tiring and unsustainable. It’s also why any job title including “SEO” is seen as slimy at best, and often not a real job at all.

Stop wilfully conflating optimisation with being a slimy liar. Stop being a dick on the internet. Write something interesting, and keep doing it for months and years. SEO will then follow naturally.

(Footnote: You might also be interested in Google’s SEO Starter Guide, and if you liked the tone of this article, I sound like that on Twitter too.)

Have you ever wondered what your neighborhood looked like throughout history, or perhaps the historical significance of a nearby landmark? With Historypin, you can easily get historical data through user-generated images displayed in relation to your current location, all from your iPhone.

The main feature of the app allows images and relevant historical data to pop up overlaid on the iPhone’s live camera view (thanks to integrated Google Maps and Street View technology). This allows you to quickly get a snapshot of what a nearby location looked like in the past by simply holding up your device in the street. Historypin is certainly an intriguing and extremely unique approach to augmented reality, but we wanted to find out if it was just a gimmick like so many others.

Explore Locations

Upon launching the app you’re greeted with three options; Explore Location, Post a Photo and Explore the Collections. The Explore Location feature is essentially the main feature of the app and displays images overlaid on the iPhone’s live camera view. Tapping that option automatically takes you to the app’s map view where you can tap photos to jump through to relevant data. There’s a slider at the top of map view that allows you to filter the years for the displayed images.

View of image overlaid on iPhone's live camera view

The really unique part of the Explore Location feature however, is Cam View. Tap the Cam View tab from within map view to automatically switch to the iPhone’s camera. Now you can walk with the device and see images revealed on your screen as they relate to your current location. The augmented reality aspect comes in when you use the onscreen slider to fade the image, allowing it to blend in with the live camera view.

The amount of content available for your current location will obviously vary from user to user. However, the app’s other features encourage you to contribute by uploading and pinning your own historical images to the Historypin map.

Post a Photo

The Post a Photo feature isn’t just for uploading old photos (although you can do that too), but also encourages you to capture historical moments as they happen with your device’s camera.

View of the app's three photo uploading methods

After selecting the Post a Photo feature from the main screen you are again presented with three options: Capture a Modern Moment, Upload from Your Library and Digitize an Old Photo. The first two are pretty straightforward — either snap a photo or select one from your iPhone’s camera roll. The app will then let you add a caption and any relevant info, select a location on the map to pin the image, and upload it to the Historypin map to share with others.

Everything seems to work how you’d expect, although we’re not sure if this will catch on as the next photo-centric social network. Rather, Historypin aims to be more of a social-educational app that is really best suited to travelers, history buffs and users with an old photo collection they’re interested in sharing.

View of the app after selecting or snapping a photo to upload

The third option, Digitize an Old Photo, essentially allows you to snap a photo of an old, physical photograph and then pin it to the Historypin map on the location it was taken. After selecting the Digitized an Old Photo option you will be taken to iPhone’s camera view the same as before, only this time to snap a photo of your old print. Of course, you can also add the usual associated caption/data before uploading.

Explore the Collections

Tapping the Explore the Collections option from the main screen will take you to collections grouped thematically that you can tap through and view by date. These appear to be user-generated images selected from Historypin.com. Again, this probably isn’t a feature that is going to keep a large number of users coming back everyday, but certainly makes for a good browse if local history interests you.

View of the app when browsing "The Collections" section

Price

The price of the app can’t be beat: free. Developed by not-for-profit We Are What We Do (in partnership with Google), it’s clear Historypin is a passion project with potential to be more and not just your run-of-the-mill gimmicky augmented reality app.

Comparison to Other Apps

While there are no shortage of history-related educational apps available, and definitely a ton of photo sharing social networks, there aren’t many equivalents to Historypin. Perhaps the most notable app that is somewhat similar is Flickr Photo Map. The app essentially allows you to browse a map of photos that are pinned relevant to where they were taken or the location they relate to. This definitely falls short of Historypin’s functionality, to say the least.

Conclusion

Historypin definitely does everything it says on the tin. We recommend checking out the app no matter who you are, but it’s clear avid travelers and history fans will get the most enjoyment out of it. This is why we can’t help but feel it could benefit from some more social network-like features.

Integrated Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ functionality would be ideal. The ability to share images/facts you’ve discovered and photos you’ve uploaded would certainly help the app’s reusability factor and ability to grow. Either way, lack of these feature doesn’t prevent us from recommending it.

Taking photos is easier than it has ever been with nearly every mobile phone touting a camera of some kind. Taking high quality photos with an iPhone is particularly easy especially if you own an iPhone 4. The ease of use combined with the convenience of having the device always with you make it perfect for taking photos for a lot of people.

The built-in iOS Camera app has seen some improvement in recent updates, but ultimately it is very basic. Sometimes we need a little more. Camera+ claims to be that little more and does so quite well. Let’s run through the application and see how it works in this role.

Design and Interface

It is obvious from the start that a lot of thought was put into this application. It is very polished and that is noticeable. The photo taking portion of this app is extremely similar visually to the iOS Camera application. Anyone that has used the standard Camera app will have no problem snapping off photos with Camera+.

You’ll find the shutter button large and right in the middle on the bottom of the display. Transparent flash adjustment and camera flip buttons (for the iPhone 4) appear on the top of the display along with a zoom slider along the right hand side. On the bottom of the display next to the shutter button you’ll find a button that allows you to change the shooting mode as well as a button to access the menu of the application.

It feels like a native iOS application, and I think we can attribute that to the attention to detail along with its overall style. I’ve been using it as my main photo-taking application for a while now, and I’d say it’s easy to forget that this isn’t a native app.

Taking Photos

The core function of Camera+ would obviously have to be taking photos. The app does a solid job in this basic function and to be honest, isn’t a ton different from the native Camera application in its latest iteration. The gap in functionality used to be a bit more, but a recent iOS update brought things a lot closer.

A fairly minimal, yet useful difference is the capability to turn on a grid. This can be toggled on and off in the menu, and can greatly aid in composing your photos. It’s not intrusive and helps you achieve more complex and thoughtful compositions using the rule of thirds.

Camera+ taking a photo

Camera+ also enables you to shoot in four different modes: normal, stabilizer, timer and burst. Stabilizer mode helps you in those situations when you’re having trouble keeping a steady hand — maybe you’re trying to take a photo from a car on a bumpy road. Timer mode functions as you would probably guess. When you press the shutter button the photo will snap in five seconds, giving you time to prepare or setup. Burst mode allows you to hold down the shutter button and snap one photo after another. The quality of each photo isn’t quite as good as shooting in the other modes, but it’s a pretty cool feature.

As with the native Camera app, the application will autofocus by default, but it is also possible to manually select where you want the focus prior to taking a photo. A feature not found in the native app is the ability to control the exposure on the fly. You simply use a second finger and adjust the exposure control to the portion of the shot you want to base your exposure on. This is a little difficult to explain, but you’ll see how it works in the image comparison below. This seemingly small feature puts a lot more control into the photographer’s hands.

This is an example of how much adjusting the exposure point can change a photo

Once you’ve got your shot lined up and you snap the photo, it will be stored in the Camera+ Lightbox or straight into your main photo library. This is a configuration that can easily be changed. Now we can do some editing and this is where Camera+ really shines.

Photo Editing

By default the photos taken with Camera+ will be stored in the Camera+ Lightbox, where you’ll be able to edit and share your photos. The Lightbox can be accessed by pressing a thumbnail of the last photo taken on the bottom left hand corner of the display, which looks just like what you’d see using the native Camera app. Tapping that thumbnail will take you to the Lightbox and show all the images available for you to edit.

Camera+ can also edit photos you currently have in your photo library. Photos added to the Camera+ Lightbox for editing will display without the filmstrip border in the Lightbox.

When tapping on the images you’ll be presented with several options. First, you’ll be able to view a full version or delete the photo. You’ll also be able to share the photo or save it into your photos library.

Working with the Lightbox

There is also an option to view the info of a photo which includes the time and date the photo was taken along with other stats such as the ISO and focal ratio among other things. If the GPS is turned on (which tags each photo with a location) you’ll also see a Google map of the location where the photo was taken. You’ll also see a list of the edits that have been made to the photo.

Photo info without and with effects applied

Photo editing options are split into five categories. The Scenes section will give you some different corrections you can apply. For example, one attempts to correct a sunset scene. The Adjust section is pretty basic and allows you to change the orientation of the photo. The Crops section does just what you’d expect: you can crop the photo manually or use a few available presets.

Using the Scene and Crop functionality

The Effects section allows you to add some serious effects to you photos. There are a few different categories and you’ll be able to see thumbnail previews of each effect before you apply it. There is also a section of effects available that you can pay for. You can demo them, but to apply the effect you’ll need to make the in-app purchase. The available effects are very high quality and can really add something interesting to your photos. There are 27 free effects to choose from with the option to purchase another group for $0.99. There are enough to choose from, but not so many to make your choice too difficult.

Checking out some effects and applying one

The Borders section allows you to add on several different borders to your photos. In functionality it is similar to trying and applying effects. You’ll also have the option to add a caption to the photo when applying a border as well.

Checking out some available borders and showing one applied

Conclusion

There is an overwhelming amount of photo apps for the iPhone to choose from, and believe me, I’ve tried my fair share. Some aid in actually shooting photos and others in manipulating them. Camera+ does a great job in both categories. It provides a couple of very helpful tools to shoot better photos along with a large library of very high quality effects and other solid editing tools.

Editing photos is really the leading highlight of this application, but its other functions are more than just capable. Camera+ can be your primary, and for a lot of us only, photo application. The price tag of $0.99 makes this app almost a no-brainer if you take any photos with your iPhone at all.

In this Quick Look, we’re highlighting Idea Mix. The developer asks, have you ever felt uninspired or trapped in a routine? Idea Mix comes to the rescue. Fear no more, Idea Mix will assign you a new creativity boost challenge every day in order for you to perform and then share with the world. And best of all, it’s going to do this for free.

Start using Idea Mix today and stop putting off your ideas.

Read on for more information and screenshots!

Screenshots

Idea Mix

About the App

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

• Incredibly easy to use
• Dozens of creative challenges included (and more with updates)
• Increases your creativity in the long run
• Easily share its utility (prove your achievements via Instagram)
• Free

Requirements: iPhone

Price: Free

Developer: Raul Riera

Vote for a Review

Would you like to see us write a full review of Idea Mix? Have your say in our poll:

Would you like to see Idea Mix reviewed in-depth on AppStorm?

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.

It’s a game many have looked forward to, and if it’s one you haven’t heard up, be prepared to hear a lot more about it. Secret of Chateau de Moreau is a point and click (well, touch and tap) adventure with a murder mystery backstory. It’s been praised for its 100+ puzzles, intricate artwork and dynamic outcomes. The game boasts dozens of alternate endings, each set into motion by the individual choices of the player as he or she races to uncover the secrets of the chateau.

Of course, there’s more to the story. Just click on to find out.

The Beginning

Secret of Chateau de Moreau is a game that demands the player’s attention in order to progress, and that starts in the intro. Luckily, the game is good at getting and keeping a player’s attention, via its intriguing storyline.

You play as Antoine, the victim of an evil plot or a sly murderer…

In addition, the visual presentation is stunning, giving the player a taste of the style and artistry present throughout gameplay. There’s even a teasing bit of information to get the player’s mind in detective gear.

Step into Antoine’s World

Players will become Antoine Moreau, a young man who is both very fortunate and very unfortunate due to the current circumstances. His foster father has just been murdered, and Antoine is fortunate enough to be named heir to the Count Moreau’s wealth. His misfortune, however, is to be considered the prime suspect in the Count’s murder. And with a castle full of disgruntled and disinherited relatives, the responsibility of proving his innocence falls on Antoine himself.

You will encounter many different suspects in the game. It's your job to find out their role in this evil plot!

He’ll set out to do this by exploring the rooms and corridors of the sprawling three-story Chateau. The immersive nature of the game is first attributable to the story’s hook, but it takes smooth controls and an intuitive interface to keep the player in the game instead of becoming frustrated.

Interface & Functionality

Secret of Chateau de Moreau has this covered. Many ambitious games for iOS have turned off players by making the controls cluttered or awkward on smaller screens; a touch screen doesn’t necessarily mean convenience. But Secret of Chateau de Moreau’s controls are well designed to allow the user access without interfering with the experience. Navigating the rooms is a simple matter, and the game’s adventure genre/point-and-click heritage translates well to touch-and-tap.

Puzzles make sense and are actually puzzling

Design & Performance

Good game design, an entertaining plot, and moving visuals are some of Secret of Chateau de Moreau’s positive qualities. They aren’t going to make for a must-have game without quality content (and plenty of it), however. While many players will rave about the game’s good looks, it’s really the size of the game and the gameplay experience that will make Secret of Chateau de Moreau a hit.

With over 40 endings you must choose carefully!

For the gaming experience, it’s the ingenuity behind the 100+ creative and challenging puzzles integrated into the plot that make it hard to put Secret of Chateau de Moreau down. There’s also untangling the mystery of the unknown killer — made more suspenseful with teasing clues gathered from interactions with non-player characters.

Value

For this game to justify its hype, it has to be huge, too. Either many hours of play to beat it, or great replay value. The challenge of the puzzles give Secret of Chateau de Moreau enough substance to make playing satisfying. The alternate endings (40 of them!) are a stroke of genius, because they give the player more content and replay value. I’ve never had a game that’s as much fun to lose at, just to see how it will play out.

With over 100 puzzles this game is a must have for fans of the genre!

Closing Thoughts

All of this makes Secret of Chateau de Moreau a consuming experience, and the attention to fine detail in the graphics and audio top off this quality app. If you’re going to become immersed in a game world, make it a fun world to be immersed in. Beautiful graphics, portraits and thoughtful visual and audio nuances make exploring the chateau and its inhabitants irresistible.

While small screen games have often opted for simplification in their graphics in order to maintain clarity, Secret of Chateau de Moreau has gone the extra mile to optimize intricate scenes for a smaller display, giving the game and its story even greater depth and texture.

Secret of Chateau de Moreau does live up to its promises. I can recommend this game unreservedly, to anyone that wants to be entertained and challenged by a well-crafted mystery. This game offers more than enough to satisfy players that give it a chance; it’s got me hoping that Secret of Chateau de Moreau will launch a new franchise.

There’s been lots of hype rolling out recently that says the iPhone 5 will be coming sometime in September. And yet, here we are, 19 days in, and no iPhone to speak of. That’s pushing back these rumor timetables into October, and I’ve even read that it may be into 2012 until we see a “new” iPhone, and not just a redone or stepped down iPhone 4.

So what do you think? Is this the week that we’ll finally get the word of a new Apple announcement and potentially the iPhone 5? Or are we going to have to wait another few week(s) until we find out? Let us know in the poll.