Category: I-phone

Once upon a time, back when every kid knew what TMNT stood for, a large portion of my life was devoted to my beloved Nintendo Entertainment System, and subsequently my SNES. These two consoles and several boxes full of games provided a never-ending stream of mind-numbing TV time that many parents today would never dream of allowing their kids to engage in.

These days I have almost zero time for console gaming (I’ve barely finished a single game since Ocarina of Time), but since gaming was such a major part of my childhood, I can’t help but get all excited when retro games from this time period are reborn on the gadget that I spend most of my time on these days.

Two particular games have recently caught my attention because of their old school heritage: Mike Tyson – Main Event and NBA JAM.

Cheap Knockoffs or Retro Heaven?

Taking an old game and bringing it to a new century is no easy task. You have two conflicting audiences to please. The old-timers want developers to recognize and maintain the key elements of the original game while younger players are going to compare it to a modern generation of complicated and immersive games.

This conflict partnered with low budgets and little effort often result in utterly crappy attempts to remake an old classic. Today’s two titles are based on games that I personally owned, adored and played for countless hours so I won’t be easily pleased unless they really do justice to those original classics!

Punch-Out and Main Event

Mike Tyson – Main Event is undoubtedly an attempt to bring back the glory of one of my absolute favorite NES games: Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out. I can’t tell you how many times I watched Rocky IV followed by a run-through of Punch-Out to engage in my own underdog boxing story.

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out featured Little Mac, a tiny boxer that faced a long line of opponents so big that he had to jump to punch them in the face. It wasn’t a mindless button mashing fest like many fighting games, each opponent had his own quirks that you had to learn in order to win the match. King Hippo could only be hit in the belly and Don Flamenco could be beaten senseless by alternating right and left punches.

Eventually you would fight your way up in the ranks enough to face Mike Tyson himself, who had lighting quick reflexes and a punch that would drop you to the mat instantly.

Mike Tyson – Main Event

Main Event puts you in control of Little Sammy, a kid in a ball cap who is just as physically unequal to his opponents as his predecessor Mac. The setup between the two characters and even the control scheme is extremely similar to that of Punch-Out, fans of the old game will feel right at home in no time.

Mike Tyson – Main Event

I all honesty, I expected very little from this game. Punch-Out was one of those rare games that was difficult to replicate (even the official sequels never lived up to the original). Further, Main Event is free! Another reason to limit expectations.

However, I have to admit, this game is awesome. The developers did a great job of providing a whole new game while really preserving the original spirit of Punch-Out. All of the details are just right. There’s a stamina bar that you have to keep an eye on, super punches can be earned and strategically utilized, each opponent has a unique system to crack; there’s even banter between rounds. If referee Mario were present this game would be perfect.

There’s even a few things that I like better than the original. For instance, when you get knocked down, instead of mashing the buttons as fast as you can and screaming like a lunatic, you try to tap all of the stars floating around your head before the referee counts to ten. This system works really well and makes getting up a little more fun and challenging.

Tap all the stars to get up

Since the game is free, there’s really no reason no to go download it now and give it a shot. The nice surprise is that it’s actually a super fun throwback to a timeless classic.

NBA Jam

There were basketball video games before NBA Jam, but this was the one that defined the genre for years to come. NBA Jam featured crazy, two-on-two basketball matches with no fouls (push all you want) and most importantly, amazing gravity-defying slam dunks.

NBA Jam was all about dunking

Furthermore, at a time when talking video games were still somewhat of a novelty, NBA Jam featured an awesome, high energy announcer that screamed things like “He’s on fire!” as you played.

The SNES NBA Jam games (I owned the follow-up Tournament Edition) were ridiculously fun and featured a great multi-player mode that stretched replay value to the max.

NBA Jam by EA Sports

Unlike the Mike Tyson – Main Event, which only hints at the game that it’s based on, NBA Jam is more of a direct descendant with the same title as the original (though EA Sports has taken over for Midway).

NBA Jam features a sort of photographic look for the players, albeit with seemingly too large heads. To be honest, I’ve always hated bobble-head animation styles in gaming and wish there was on option to turn it off here in favor of normal proportions (there is of course a way to make them even bigger), but it doesn’t really affect playability in the least.

NBA Jam for iPhone

The gameplay here is very similar to the original: two-on-two matches, push-driven ball stealing, etc. I found the control scheme to be quite difficult at first, but you get used to it quickly. For these types of games, it’s hard to beat the physical d-pad found on old game controllers, but that’s not the fault of the developers. There are two control styles to choose from: gesture and arcade, I found gesture to be a much more intuitive way to play.

The more you dig into the game, the more you find that’s like the old version. For instance, you can enable “tag mode”, which only allows AI to take control of the character on your team not holding the ball (greatly preferred to watching the AI score all your points). There’s also a great two-player mode that works if you have a friend with the game.

My favorite little throwback is that the announcer is actually Tim Kitzrow, the guy from the original games. I couldn’t help but smile with nostalgia as I heard him say “Razzle Dazzle!” when I went up for a dunk.

Razzle Dazzle!

Speaking of dunking, EA seems to know that this is what the original game was all about, and they’ve brought back the aerial acrobatics that define the franchise. When you bound down the court and see your character jump way over the hoop as the cameras flash, your brain instantly goes back to the ’90s and the world is just as it should be.

Conclusion

To sum up, both of these new iPhone titles are admirable reminders of games that I grew up playing. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying them both for the nostalgia and the fresh content.

Neither of these is perfect but they’re definitely better than I expected and worth a download if you spent any time playing the old versions. Again, Main Event is currently a free download while NBA Jam is $4.99. Five bucks seems a little pricey, but considering the fact that your parents probably paid $30-$50 for the SNES version eighteen years ago, you can’t really complain much! Be sure to download the free lite version if you’re hesitant to drop the cash.

At long last, the white iPhone 4 is available for purchase. I lost track of how many times this thing has been delayed and how many times Mac rumor sites have claimed that it was just around the corner.

Interestingly enough, it seems that it was the camera holding it back all this time. There were issues with the white glass back leading to washed out photos. It’s fascinating that simply changing the color of the device can lead to so many unforeseen issues! Fret not however, all of these problems have been addressed and Apple has probably learned a great deal about offering color variations for future products that contain cameras.

Today we want to know whether you even care that the white iPhone has finally made it onto the scene. For all its hype, it’s still just an iPhone 4. If you’re not a fan of black though, this could be just the catalyst you needed to take the plunge and fork out the cash to upgrade that aging iPhone 3GS.

Cast your vote in the poll and leave a comment below with your thoughts. Are you buying one? Why or why not?

Granted, the app store is flooded with text editing applications. But now and then a gem comes along that makes you rethink your current workflow. Essay for iPhone is such a gem.

Plain text notes are easy enough to accomplish. For that, the Notes app from Apple suffices. But what if you want structure and emphasis to your document? Maybe a heading? Some italics or even a list? That’s what’s called rich text editing and that’s where Essay rocks. The universal app takes rich text editing to a new level, paired with accessible file formats and easy synchronization. We’ll take an in-depth look at Essay and how it compares to other popular apps.

Getting to know Essay

On the limited screen estate of the iPhone it’s not easy to implement a usable interface of typing space and formatting options, but Essay solves this challenge gracefully.

The interface of Essay

In the top area you’ll have your writing space; beneath it is a band with formatting options. This is where the magic happens and I’ll talk about it in depth further down in this article.

In the reading mode of your document (without the keyboard present) you can see your file’s title at the very top (and also change it by tapping on it). All your files are saved within the app, presented to you in an alphabetical order.

Reading your texts & list view

Dropbox Sync – access texts everywhere

Of course I wouldn’t be as excited about Essay as I am if there wouldn’t be an easy sync option. Writing on three devices – iPhone, iPad, Mac – I need access to the most current versions of my texts from everywhere. Essay utilizes one of the most popular online services for synchronization: Dropbox.

Sync your content to Dropbox

Setting up sync is as easy as entering your credentials into Essay. By default, the app will create a folder called Essay on your Dropbox and save your files within. You can specify any other folder if you want to, though.

The powerful formatting bar

As I mentioned in the beginning, Essay’s true power lies in it’s multitude of formatting capabilities, which by far surpass simple bold or italics. The magic all happens in the options bar, but there’s more than meets the eye. First of all, you can swipe the bar right and left to reveal even more buttons.

All the formatting options available

The first four formats should be self explanatory. It gets interesting with the exclamation mark, which changes the background color of selected text to orange (like using a highlighter). For professional users there is the possibility of linking Essay text to each other, similar to the Wiki principle. Of course, you can also link to external websites.

Highlight text or insert links

The most exciting features a hidden behind the paragraph symbol (reversed P). By tapping it you reveal 6 formatting choices. Sections and subsections are headings, which will help structure longer texts. Paragraph of course turns text into a normal paragraph text; it’s the default setting when you write. Quotes indent a paragraph and turn the text to italics. Lists should be self explanatory as well.

The rest of the buttons don’t really transform text as much as help you manage it. The four arrow sign allows you to move your cursor around, the wide right and left arrows are for Undo and Redo.

Make use of powerful formatting & controls

The next button allows to increase or decrease text size and at the very end of the options bar you can see your current word and character count.

Three different text sizes

The Snipbox

As you may have noticed, I left one icon out – the box. It’s a feature which has been introduced with the latest update of Essay. It’s essentially a storage space for text and links which you’ve copied to the clipboard.

Awesome feature: Snipbox stores your copied content

As of right now, it works with text selected within Essay or within the build in web browser, which you can access from the very top of your text. To insert your text anywhere, just select the appropriate snippet from the Snipbox.

Your Essay texts are saved to one of the most accessible file formats – HTML. It can be read by virtual any text editor and its code is so clean you can, for example, just copy and paste it into your WordPress editor and have the correct formatting retained. For the knowledgable, headings, for example, are written correctly as H1 and H2 tags, lists are wrapped nicely in <ul> or <ol> elements.

Stacking up against the competition

As I said before, there’re a lot of text editors out there, which makes a comprehensive comparison impossible. Let’s focus on some of the most popular ones.

Plaintext by HogBay is a wonderful writing tool for both the iPad and the iPhone, just like Essay. It’s approach though is more geared towards pure writing. There are no formatting options available at all. That doesn’t have to be a shortcoming at all, depending on your writing purpose. Sometimes minimal is just what you might need.

Elements by Second Gear is a writing tool which also features Dropbox synchronization, but it focuses on plain text editing. You can open, edit and view .txt files on your computers and on the iPhone and iPad – Elements is a universal app, just as Essay is. But again, it lacks any formatting options which make Essay stand out.

Droptext by Invision Technical Arts is similar to the previous two apps – it allows Dropbox synchronization and it’s universal, but no more than plain text editing is possible.

Verdict

Essay offers some unique features for iPhone users: the rich text experience we know from a desktop computer/notebook pc or from the iPad, but in a usable fashion crafted for the iPhone’s smaller screen estate.

Due to an accessible file format and availability for the iPad, you are not limited to the iPhone as a working platform but can access your data from anywhere, read it with almost any app and have a seamless workflow, which is a very rewarding experience.

What is your text editor of choice on the iPhone? Do you have any need for rich text formatting or are you preferring plain text applications? Share your thoughts in the comments.

In this Quick Look, we’re highlighting Cooties. The developer describes Cooties as a fast paced action game where you fight the mischievous Cooties by touching, holding, and swiping across the screen to dodge Cooties and to collect stars, points, and powerups.

It’s a unique new touch based game that features 20 levels (more on the way) and a survival mode for infinite replay value. Cooties supports OpenFeint for tracking and sharing global high scores!

Read on for more information and screenshots!

Screenshots

Cooties

Cooties

About the App

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

• 20 unique levels (more on the way!)
• 8 different Cooties with unique abilities
• Survival Mode for infinite replay value
• OpenFeint for leaderboards and sharing your scores

Requirements: iOS 4.0 or above
Price: $0.99
Developer: Imaginary Feet LLC

Vote for a Review

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

Would you like to see Cooties 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.

The term “scalping” has such a negative tone to it. The word conjures up images of guys standing near a stadium holding signs that say “I need tickets” in big letters and cash-only transactions. Although those people will still be around for a while, there are now legitimate means for getting your tickets, and it’s all done online and on your iPhone.

It’s called StubHub, and don’t just assume this is a ticket broker like so many others. After all, it’s the MLB’s official “fan-to-fan ticket marketplace,” so the company has some big time supporters. Until recently, buying or selling tickets from StubHub meant that you had to log on to their website and do your business, but now StubHub makes that a bit easier with the introduction of an iPhone app. Is it worth the download? Find out after the break.

The StubHub Basics

Let’s do a quick primer on what StubHub is and how it works. Say you really want to see the Celtics play the Suns, but tickets have been sold out for months. Just search StubHub for tickets, and you’ll be presented with a wide variety of seats, from the nosebleeds all the way to the lower levels – and sometimes even courtside – with their prices listed next to them.

Buy some tickets and then either download them instantly, have them shipped to you via FedEx or pick them up at the gate, depending on the availability options.

Sign in and start buying tickets.

Selling tickets works in a similar fashion. You put up some tickets on StubHub, then price them however you like using the tools on the site. Once you have a buyer, your tickets are sold and off you go.

The iPhone Way

StubHub on the iPhone is more about the buying than the selling part of the process. Once the app is loaded up, you can find the nearest concerts or sporting events in your area for the next seven days, or search for something specific if that’s what you need. Once you’ve found the event you want to attend, a finger tap gets you to see the available tickets for the function.

Go local or national with your ticket hunt.

Here’s where it gets interesting: At the bottom of the screen is a sliding bar with lots of vertical lines on it. Each one of those ticks in the bar indicates a ticket for sale within the price range, and if you want to decrease the pool of tickets, you can slide the bar either up or down in price according to your budget.

The top screen then refreshes, and the available tickets display in list form. Up top there’s a slider bar as well, but this one designates the number of tickets that you want. By sliding those top and bottom bars, you can narrow down your choices pretty far until you get to your perfect option.

Find transportation, food and drink nearby your event.

One of the coolest things is being able to find stuff to do around your event. Say you’re catching a Celtics game in Boston and you want to get a drink beforehand. No biggie, just click on the push pin above the tickets you’re buying and select between food, transportation and drinking options. This makes planning your night a ton easier, particularly if you’re not from the area.

Making a Buy

With your tickets selected, it’s time to pull the trigger. This is as simple as creating a StubHub account on the iPhone, then entering in your pertinent information. Choose your method of delivery and the tickets will be ready to go.

Narrow down your options using the slider bars.

So what about selling tickets? This wasn’t something I was able to test out extensively, because I don’t have any tickets to sell. From what I can tell though, you can view your active and pending listings, and then manage those on the fly. There’s also a convenient option to search for a local FedEx store if you have tickets to ship or pick up.

Is it Worth the Price of Admission?

Even though the app is free, it wouldn’t be worth that much if you couldn’t use it properly. I have in fact purchased tickets using the app. I found them easily then purchased them via instant download so I had access to them right away. An e-mail with a link to the tickets came to my inbox, and I printed out the tickets once I got home.

Maps of the stadiums are handy too, letting you know where your tickets are before you buy.

However, when I looked outside of my local area, finding tickets became more difficult. It’s not that it was impossible, it was just easy to get frustrated when hunting around. There’s no way to dial things down to a specific date and time (none that I found, anyways), and that got irritating.

For example, I looked up tickets for the Boston Red Sox. Up came every event by opponent in alphabetical order, be it for spring training or the regular season. There was no way to find out who the Sox were playing on say June 17 (It’s the Brewers, in case you’re wondering), so you just have to scroll and scroll until you find your option by team, not date. That’s frustrating.

Get social and post your ticket score on Facebook or Twitter.

That said, this is best for impulse buys. You’re reminded of an upcoming concert and while it’s fresh in your mind you check out who has tickets and what they’re going for.  It’s the Sunday before the big game and you want to get tickets for your kid, but the game is sold out. In those cases, StubHub for the iPhone is an excellent resource.

Now if they could get the sorting options down, it would be just about perfect.

This is the “Hello World” example. I am going to execute the Hello World example in a new version of Xcode. So many things are new in this Xcode 4.

Xcode 4 is the complete toolset for building Mac OS X and iOS applications, the tools have been redesigned to be faster, easier to use, and more helpful than ever before. The Xcode IDE understands your project’s every detail, identifies mistakes in both syntax and logic, and will even fix your code for you. Quite simply, Xcode 4 will help you write better code.

So let see how it will be work.

Step 1: Open a Xcode, select Create a new Xcode project (See fig 1) and click open button.
Figure 1

Now select ViewBase application and click next (See figure 2)
Figure 2

Next page you need to define Product name and Identifier name, the identifier is the name of your application. It’s the same name used when you register your application at Apple’s website and release it to the AppStore. The Product name “HelloWorld Xcode4” and the Identifier name “com.mycompany.APPLICATIONNAME” (See figure 3). Select the Device Family into iPhone. Now select next and save the application in your disk.
Figure 3

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 (See the figure 4).
Figure 4

Step 3: Expand classes and notice Interface Builder created the HelloWorld_Xcode4ViewController class for you and generated a separate nib, HelloWorld_Xcode4ViewController.xib, for the “HelloWorld_Xcode4”.

Step 4: Select the HelloWorld_Xcode4ViewController.h file from the Project Navigator. We have added UILabel for display the text and added IBAction buttonPressed; in the file, so make the following changes in the file.

Step 5: Double click the HelloWorld_Xcode4ViewController.xib file from Project Navigator. Now the .xib window will look like (figure 5).
Figure 5

a) Now drag the label and RoundRect button from the object (See figure 6).
Figure 6

b) Select Label from the Window and change the label Text name from the Attribute Inspector (See figure 7). Give the Text name “Hello World!!!”.
Figure 7

c) Next select the RoundRect Button from the window and select Attribute Inspector (See figure 8). Give the Title “Click Me”.
Figure 8

d) Now connect File’s Owner icon to the “Hello World!!!” label and select label (See figure 9).
Figure 9

e) Select “Click Me” button and bring up Connection Inspector (See figure 10) and connect Touch up Inside to the File’s Owner icon and select buttonPressed: method.
Figure 10

f) Select File’s Owner icon to the View window and select view (See figure 11).
Figure 11

Now save it and open the HelloWorld_Xcode4ViewController.m file from the Project Navigator.

Step 6: In the HelloWorld_Xcode4ViewController.m file make the following changes.

Step 7: Now Compile and Run the application and see the Output in the Simulator.

You can download source code from here HelloWorld_Xcode4

“What are the best iPhone jailbreak apps?” is a question I get asked from time to time by readers of this blog.

After you jailbreak iPhone and you begin to browse the Cydia store for the best iPhone jailbreak apps, you quickly realize that Cydia is packed with apps, and it is not immediately obvious which are the best iPhone jailbreak apps.

That’s why I have decided to list my favorite jailbreak apps here for anyone curious about the top jailbreak apps for iPhone.

Based on my experience with several jailbroken iPhones — including my currently jailbroken iPhone 4 — I present to you the six best iPhone jailbreak apps, in my humble opinion:

Top iPhone Jailbreak Apps

1. Activator lets you set custom gestures and button sequences on your iPhone. For example, you can configure Activator to bring up your Contacts with a “Short Hold” of the home button, or shake the device to open any app you specify, etc.
2. Poof lets you hide apps that you don’t use. I was always so annoyed by how I had to keep the default Weather app icon on my home screen even though I used another weather app, and the Contacts app, which I never use. With Poof, you can make icons that you don’t use disappear from your home screens.
3. Frash brings Flash to jailbroken iPhone 4′s. Even though Flash does not perform well on mobile phones and it is a big battery drainer, it is nice to have the option to run Flash on your iPhone. Frash is definitely among the top iPhone jailbreak apps considering that lack of Flash support is a big point of contention among iPhone owners.
4. Lockdown Pro lets you put passcode locks on individual iPhone apps. I use Lockdown Pro to put a pass code on my Messages and Mail apps, for example.
5. My3G. Ever notice how your iPhone is limited in some regards when you are on the 3G network. For example, you can’t normally watch videos in full quality over 3G — they are extremely compressed. And you can’t FaceTime over 3G. The My3G app removes this restriction by tricking the iPhone into thinking you are always on a WiFi network.
6. LockInfo is perhaps the best iPhone jailbreak app. LockInfo makes your iPhone lock screen useful by aggregating all of your useful data on it. I use LockInfo to display the weather, my recent email, my to do list, and avatars of my favorite contacts.

These top iPhone jailbreak apps should be a good start for you if you have recently jailbroken your iPhone. Let me know in the comments what YOU think are the best iPhone jailbreak apps.

Best iPhone Jailbreak Apps is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

A lot of our European readers are disappointed that the iPhone add-on Square credit card reader won’t work in their neck of the woods. Square might not, but Europeans will soon be able to accept credit card payments on their iPhones anyway thanks to the iZettle credit card reader.

The device itself works like Square, except you plug it in through the Dock connector and not the headphone jack, and instead of swiping credit cards, you insert them into the iZettle so their chip and pin can be read. For those in the US who might not be familiar with them, chip and pin credit cards, or smart cards, offer increased security over American “swipe” credit cards.

The iZettle also offers social network sharing so customers can post their purchases to Facebook or Twitter if they so choose. No word yet on the rate iZettle will charge per transaction, but the device itself will be free. iZettle will first launch in Sweden with other European countries to follow. You can see a video of iZettle in action on the next page.

Continue reading iZettle credit card reader offers social networking, smart card compatibility

iZettle credit card reader offers social networking, smart card compatibility originally appeared on TUAW on Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple’s iPad 2 made its official debut in Japan on Thursday along the white iPhone 4. The second generation tablet debuted for 44,800 yen (US$500) and was available from Apple Stores and the wireless carrier Softbank Mobile.

Apple has a good week in the Asian-Pacific region. The iPhone 4 flew off the shelves in China and customers in Japan lined up in droves for the iPad 2. Early adopters in Japan began to line up as early as 9 pm the night before the launch and, sometimes, had to endure heavy rain while they waited. The rain was not a deterrent as the flagship Ginza Apple store in Tokyo; it had a line over three blocks long when the store opened at 9 am.

While customers in Japan were greeted with long lines for the iPad 2, folks at the Andheri Imagine Store in Mumbai, India were greeted with a bouquet of flowers. The retailer went above and beyond to make sure its customer’s line-waiting and buying experience were delightful and not drudgery. It likely worked — who can’t help but smile when they are handed a colorful, aromatic bunch of flowers?

iPad 2’s Japan, India release draws big crowds originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I liked t Chess Pro when I reviewed it many month ago. It had good clean graphics, and was a real challenge to play. One of the most frequent requests was for Game Center integration, and that has been added in the most recent release.

Also interesting is the addition of support for the iPad 2 dual-core processors. It’s the first use of dual-core support I’ve seen in an iOS chess program, and it’s most welcome. t Chess author Tom Kerrigan told me the engine runs 50-80% faster, and he adds that if there’s a good move to be found for the current position, the app will find it much faster.

I hadn’t played t Chess for a little while, but this new version did seem snappier on the iPad 2. The Game Center Support is most welcome. t Chess is a universal binary, so it runs on any iOS device, but of course dual-core support is only on the iPad 2.

If you want to get a feel for t Chess, there is a ‘lite‘ version you can try, but without the dual-core feature. t Chess is US $7.99. Given the excellent feature set, and the built-in documentation, I find it well worth it. Buyers should note that t Chess does not auto-detect a dual-core iPad 2. The feature must be enabled in the app settings menu.

My only gripe is that the icon for the app still shows a graphic of a crystalline chess set that is not an option to select for gameplay. The options the app provides are just fine, but I’d sure like to see the nice one illustrated above on the iPad screen.

t Chess Pro updated with dual core support on the iPad 2 and more originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just in time for the weekend, this is about the wackiest use of augmented reality that we’ve seen yet. The Panasonic Viera AR Setup Simulator is a brand new free app in the App Store that uses AR to put a virtual big screen television right in your living room, so you can see what it looks like in place before you actually buy and “install” it. The idea is that you download and print the AR market from Panasonic’s site, and then install the app, and use your iPhone to “see” the TV in place.

Pretty wild. You can see it in action after the break. Once you see your future television, you can even snap a picture, and send it out via email or a few social networking services. I like the idea of using augmented reality for home improvement a lot — this is a pretty narrow solution (only really useful if you’re buying a specific Panasonic TV), but it’s a cool idea. Maybe we’ll see more fun uses of AR like this in the future.

Continue reading Panasonic app uses AR to place your new big screen dreams

Panasonic app uses AR to place your new big screen dreams originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has seeded a new build of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion to developers today. The build, labeled version number 11A444d, can be downloaded through Software Update for those of you running previous Lion builds. The update weighs in at 1.22 GB.

This is the third release of Lion Developer Preview 2, and as Apple doesn’t list any details about the latest fixes and changes incorporated into it, it is likely that there are no major changes since the release of the second build of of Lion Developer Preview 2 two weeks ago. Let us know in the comments if you spot anything worth noting.

Apple seeds third build of Lion Developer Preview 2 originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ifoAppleStore.com is reporting that thieves broke into the Chestnut Street Apple Store in San Francisco last night, apparently entering the store through the roof straight into the inventory area in back of the store, and making off with an undisclosed amount of Apple devices. Unfortunately, I can’t find any other reports of the crime online, but since it’s apparently a recent happening, we’ll have to take the blog’s word for it.

They also say that the building in San Francisco is surrounded by other buildings of the same height, so it wouldn’t have been too hard for thieves to climb over and drop in on the Apple establishment. The police of course have access to a number of video cameras in the area, so hopefully they’ll catch these thieves before long.

Unfortunately, Apple Stores, full of expensive merchandise, have seen their share of crime lately. Earlier this month in San Diego, an attempted smash-and-grab robbery turned into a shooting, and we’ve heard about lots of other robberies at Apple retail stores as well. Fortunately, security is about as good as any other retail establishment, but you’ll always have thieves trying to test the limits.

Apple Store thieves descend from roof in San Francisco originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The International Data Corporation reports that Apple has been taking over the smartphone market in the past few years, with its market share growing by almost 115% over the past year. Apple’s still not on top of the list (as there are much more established manufacturers on there, and as we’ve heard, Apple has some competitors for market share as well), but the company’s growth is phenomenal, and has earned it a number four spot on the top five list worldwide, with 5% of the global market.

Even more phenomenal, of course, is the fact that Apple has basically done this with one phone, rather than competitors’ multiple lines and flavors of smartphones and operating systems. When the company first started selling smartphones, it said that the goal was to get at least 1% of the global market, so not only has it beaten that goal five times over, but of course it’s earned record revenues to match as well.

[via MacRumors]

IDC claims iPhone marketshare has grown 115% originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The folks behind the Hipstamatic iPhone app are ready to let you take the old-school camera vibe all the way. They’ve introduced a Hipstamatic iPhone case called (what else?) the HipstaCase, and while it isn’t quite as functional as that concept Leica iPhone case we posted the other day (it’s purely cosmetic), it will still give your iPhone the feel of an old camera.

All right, so it’s not quite purely cosmetic — there is a tripod mount that attaches on the bottom, and there’s a nylon wrist lanyard as well. But essentially, it’s a piece of plastic that makes the back of your iPhone look like one of those cameras you carried around however many years ago. The Hipstacase is available right now for US $39.95.

[via Gizmodo]

HipstaCase iPhone case perfect for Hipstamatic hipsters originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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