Category: I-phone

We talked to Thunder Game Works way back at this year’s WWDC, and they mentioned that they were working on a zombie version of their popular Trenches war strategy game for the iPhone. And it’s now out on the App Store. Stenches is much like Trenches in that you guide a group of World War I soldiers through the trenches, but it’s unlike Trenches in that it’s fully focused on killing zombies. There are over 200 different levels to fight through, special zombie bosses made just for the game, an unlimited mode to fight on through, and everything else you may have played in Trenches. If you didn’t play Trenches, you might want to give it a try anyway — it’s a unique little twist on real-time strategy that features some real depth in the action gameplay as well as a grim sense of humor and style.

Stenches is only US$1.99, and for that price, you get both the game and future updates, which will include more game modes, co-op and competitive play, and some more zombie bosses to tangle with. The current game also has Game Center integration, so your friends can check your progress on achievements as well. Great game — definitely check it out.

TUAW’s Daily App: Stenches originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cloud memory service Evernote has reached 5 million users and continues to grow, according to an official statement on the company’s blog. The service is gaining tens of thousands of new users per day and has recently seen its highest daily revenue from premium users, plus big jumps off of Apple platforms, on Windows, Android, and BlackBerry. The five millionth user also marks the fastest million users the company has earned, as you can see from the blocked-off sections in the chart above. That’s pretty phenomenal growth; it’s on an exponential scale, too, so there’s probably more where that came from.

Meanwhile, Evernote also promises updates are coming on the Mac, iPhone, and iPad side of things. Just a few weeks ago, the company raised a round of US$20 million from some venture funding. 2010 has been a good year for Evernote — we’ll have to see what happens in 2011.

[via TechCrunch]

Evernote hits 5 million users originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fortunately for those of us who are easily amused, Apple’s operating system updates seem to be scheduled just far apart enough to make each release seem like Christmas Day. We anxiously await for the release to show up like kids waiting to open a special present, we tear open the box (in this analogy, we load the new OS), and then we’re torn between excitement for our new toy and disappointment that it’s usually not everything we has wished for.

Well, today I’m going to try to whip up some excitement about iOS 4.2. We’ve said a lot about the new release here on TUAW, and many other Apple sites have covered it in detail as well. But for those of you who need a refresher course in what’s going to be new and exciting, join in our live streaming video and chat with the other TUAW readers who show up here every Wednesday afternoon.

How can you join in on the fun? From your Mac or PC, go to the next page by clicking the read more link at the bottom of this post, and you’ll find a livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments.

If you’re driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you’re stuck in traffic, please don’t — keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone by downloading the free Ustream Viewing Application. (I’d also appreciate it if someone could try out the new Skyfire Browser to see if that works for watching the show)

We haven’t neglected our iPad users, since you can tune in to TUAW TV Live on your iPad! That link will send you to a non-Flash page, although you won’t have access to our chat tool. And one final note — if the show has started and you’re seeing a previously recorded show instead of the livestream, you can always pop on over to ustream.tv/tuaw to join the show in progress.

Continue reading The iOS 4.2 preview show, today on TUAW TV Live

The iOS 4.2 preview show, today on TUAW TV Live originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The reports yesterday from 9to5 Mac that Apple had acquired wireless headphone maker Wi-Gear have turned out to be false. Barron’s did some checking and emailed Wi-Gear CEO Mark Pundsack who replied:

“The rumor is false. Wi-Gear and its IP are still available for sale.”

There has been a lot of speculation about upcoming acquisitions by Apple after Steve Jobs said Apple’s $51 billion cash on hand allowed the company to make major acquisitions if it seemed fit, so when the rumor went live, it quickly spread to major news sites and tech blogs, including ours.

Barrons’ Eric Savitz said the Wi-Gear story resulted from 9to5 Mac’s discovery on LinkedIn that a former Wi-Gear engineer was now employed with Apple. Wi-Gear’s website notes that the company “has ceased operations and is no longer in business.”

Wi-Gear NOT acquired by Apple originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s definitely a good time to be an iPhone or an Android smartphone. Gartner is reporting that while the iPhone’s total smartphone market share fell slightly from 17.1 percent to 16.7 percent (while still selling more total units than RIM) and Android’s jumped from 3.5 percent to 25.5 percent in the past year, BlackBerry has seen a decline from 20.7 percent to 14.8 percent and Symbian from 44.6 percent to 36.6 percent. Windows Mobile’s share has been sliced by more than half, from 7.9 percent down to just 2.8 percent of the market. In terms of total worldwide mobile sales, Apple’s share is up to 3.2 percent from 2.3 percent this time last year, with 13,484,400 units sold in Q3 2010. Analysts project Apple to sell 36 million iPhones worldwide for the year, followed by 100 million by the end of 2011.

iPhone and Android shares rise while BlackBerry, Symbian fall originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And just as foretold, here it is — the 10.6.5 update to OS X is now available in a Software Update window near you. As you can see above, the new version provides a little more security, stability, and reliability in a few areas, helps out iPhoto and Aperture image processing, and should fix some outstanding issues with various apps and accessories.

And of course, like any other solid OS update, it requires a restart, so if you’re in the middle of something, make sure you finish and save up before applying the update.

10.6.5 now available on Software Update originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A few weeks ago it was reported that iTunes Connect would be closed over Thanksgiving weekend and the Christmas holiday. While the closure wouldn’t affect consumers who want to shop for apps, it would affect developers who wanted to submit new apps or change prices of their apps during that period.

iTunes Connect had been closed for a number of days over Christmases past, but the Thanksgiving closure was one that irked a lot of devs as it came during Black Friday and Cyber Monday — the four day weekend that is the traditional start off to the US holiday shopping season.

To the relief of developers everywhere, Apple last night notified iOS devs that iTunes Connect will be closing for Christmas between December 23-28, but made no mention of a Thanksgiving weekend closure. This means that developers can still adjust prices of their apps on those days to entice holiday app shoppers, submit new apps, and don’t have to worry about a Top Apps list freeze during the Thanksgiving weekend.

iTunes Connect will be open over Thanksgiving weekend originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here at TUAW, we’re starting to rev up the holiday gift ideas. And while this gift idea isn’t completely Apple-related, you can certainly think up some cool things to make for your Mac, iPhone, and iPad-loving buddies.

Sculpteo.com provides a 3D printing service that can take 3D design files and turn them into physical objects. The company accepts many different formats; for Mac users, you’ll probably want to use the free Google Sketchup application to create your design. There’s also a set of online tools for making more simple shapes.

So, what can you make with this wonderful 3D printing technology? Anything! Want to make a mockup of your idea for the iPhone 5? Send Sculpteo your design and it’ll be printed in either plastic or a ceramic-like material. How about a miniature Newton MessagePad 2100 keychain? No problem. Perhaps a bust of Steve Jobs to grace your desk? That’s a possibility. And then there’s my personal favorite; the customized avatars.

Yes, that’s Mini-me standing there on that desk at right, complete with my traditional baseball cap and TUAW T-shirt. The company takes two head shots (direct and profile) and creates a frighteningly accurate miniature of you or your friend. Provide Sculpteo with a logo or other details, and you can customize these things all you want. The price is about $75 for a 7 cm. (2.8 inch) tall figure and $130 for a 10 cm. (3.9 inch) figure, but Sculpteo is currently offering a 50% discount through November 30, 2010 to introduce this service to the USA. That’s perfect timing for Christmas gifts!

TidBITS editor Adam Engst may have his own action figure, but now I have my own personal TUAW Steve avatar to go into battle with him. Boo-yah!

The avatars and other items are printed with a Z Corporation ZPrinter 650 3D printer, which I’m sure would be a nice, albeit pricey, gift for your favorite TUAW bloggers. We’ll be bringing you many other gift ideas over the next month, so please keep your browser pointed to TUAW and we’ll help you spend your money.

Great geek holiday gift idea: Sculpteo 3D printing originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We reported earlier on a rumor suggesting that new iOS 4.2 AirPrint feature that allowed users to print wirelessly to any printer connected to a PC or Mac had been canceled. Because of the rumor, a frustrated MacRumors reader emailed Steve Jobs and suggested that Apple could begin to lose credibility and become known for announcing “vaporware.” Steve Jobs replied with an email that simply read:

AirPrint has not been pulled. Don’t believe everything you read.

So there you go, folks. If the email’s legit (and Steve isn’t mixing up the story at all), we will still see AirPrint arrive in iOS 4.2, which is set to drop any day now. Don’t forget to join us at 5PM ET this afternoon for our live iOS 4.2 preview show, where we’ll discuss all the new features of Apple’s next mobile OS.

[via MacRumors]

Steve Jobs: AirPrint support for Mac and PCs not canceled originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Consumer Reports (CR) is in love with all models of the MacBook Air. In the publication’s most recent ranking of notebooks and netbooks, the MacBook Air received top rankings and the coveted “recommended” status.

The 11.6-inch MacBook Air topped the list of 11-inch laptops (don’t get excited, there were only two entrants) with a score of 67 out of 100. Its performance was rated as “good,” while ergonomics and the display were rated “very good.”

Meanwhile, the two 13-inch Air models ranked up 73 and 72 points, with the 2.4GHz model earning the “recommended” rating. As for Apple’s other laptops, the 2.53GHz Core i5 15-inch MacBook Pro sat atop CR’s 15- to 16-inch model chart, while the 17-inch MacBook Pro ruled the list of 17- to 18-inch machines.

All in all, it’s a welcome change to the publisher’s reaction to the iPhone 4.

[Via Macworld]

Consumer Reports loves MacBook Air originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mnemonic is a free app that helps you generate unique yet easy to remember passwords. By entering any phrase you want, it creates a password loosely based off l33t speak using the beginning of the words. This app is extremely easy to use and is great for making secure and seemingly random passwords.

Features

This app doesn’t really have any features at all; it simply generates passwords. The one “feature” it does have is allowing you to change the Random Seed. This allows it to create different passwords from the same phrase.

Review

First you have to enter a phrase that has some meaning to you and would be easy to remember. Once you enter this phrase, beneath you will see which part of the generated password comes from each word in the phrase. Because the password is based off something of significance to you, it should not be difficult to remember, and if you forget it, you can always retype the phrase in the app.

This is because entering the same phrase will always generate the same password, and this is where changing the Random Seed comes in. By going to the app’s settings (which is accessed through the default Settings app, not through the app), you can change the Random Seed to any value from one up to two billion. Changing this allows you to generate different passwords from the same phrase. However, if you forget your password, you must remember your Random Seed number to generate the same password again. Changing this number will not drastically change the password though, but will change uppercase and lowercase, and substitute certain letters for numbers and characters, so use it as your own discretion.

As an example of the security of the passwords, lets use the phrase “Mnemonic is a great app for everyone.” Typing this in creates “m!4gr8@43very1” which seems to be a completely random string of numbers, letters, and characters, yet it is actually a phrase based off something of significance to you, making it simple to remember.

Conclusion

I found Mnemonic extremely easy to use and the passwords it creates are seemingly random yet for you they will be easy to remember. As long as you know or didn’t change the Random Seed, you can always retype the phrase into the app to get the same password in case you forget it. For these reasons I would absolutely recommend this app for anyone who needs to create a safe and secure passwords.

Top 11 Movie Related Apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch

Decent Movie apps are actually quite hard to come by on the app store, so I have dug up the 11 best of the lot for you and reviewed them for you here! (Yes you did read right, 11, just an extra you see!)

1. Movie Genie

A really knowledge filled app filled with buckets of information on movies old and new alike. It is a client of IMDb, so you know you are receiving the most accurate and in depth information available on the web. You can search for movies, and even TV shows and video games through an intuitive system whereby a simple query such as an actor in a film brings a wealth of information to your fingertips. I have found that it is also very fast to use on Wi-Fi, but perhaps a little slower on 3G.

A steal at $0.99 Check it out! Also available on Android.

2. RunPee

A little crude, but a lifesaver for those who constantly need to use the toilet during the latest blockbuster. It gives the best time to answer natures call during the latest films, without missing a crucial plot twist. It vibrates a few minutes before the next ‘pee time’, letting you know when it’s time to go! Wi-Fi users will be able to use it due to the app being able to store data on films for offline viewing. Even non-Smartphone users are supported with a mobile website available.

It’s only $0.99 after all so what have you got to lose? Check it out! Also available on Android and Blackberry.

3. Scene It? Movies

The popular board game makes an appearance on the iPhone, making the cracking movie party evenings portable. Although it is a more one time use app, (i.e. once you’ve done all the questions that’s it), while it lasts, it is still great. It even has clips of movies for you to use which is a great addition. The actual questions vary in type from simple multiple choices, to doing puzzles with actors and actresses pictures. Obviously, there is a multiplayer mode which allows you to pass round the phone to answer questions. I would have liked a Bluetooth multiplayer mode to save the hassle of the passing around, and maybe in the future we could have some extra questions to download. On the whole though, an excellent app and worth a buy!

Priced at $1.99 on iPhone only. Check it out!

4. Flixster

This app rounds up Rotten Tomato scores for every film possible. Not only that, but it also shows trailers, gives short critic reviews, and helps you find local cinema times. I consider this an excellent base for all film fans researching the latest releases but I find Movie Genie’s utilisation of IMDb a bit more knowledge filled for DVD releases. However, I love the way in which you can view the tomato ratings without going into safari in Flixster a breeze to use. It also features a local cinema finder for when you’re out and about which actually does work!

Free on iPhone only. Check it out!

5. Yelp

Yelp is a database of cinemas all over the world with user submitted reviews. If you’ve just moved in, this great app will find the nearest screens, and display an array of reviews. Never again will you be served by the spotty teenager who sneezes in you popcorn, or sit in the most uncomfortable ‘premium’ seats since the history of cinema. Yelp also has the same system for bars and restaurants within the very same app, so after the credits roll, you can find the best grub in town to complete your evening!

Free on iPhone only. Check it out!

6. AirVideo

AirVideo is a movie streaming app for the iPhone and iPad. It quite simply resolves a major drawback of these products. Storage. As long as the app is installed on your PC/MAC as well, any manner of video you have downloaded onto your hard drive can be viewed anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection! Now when you download the latest movies/TV shows off iTunes, there is no longer the worry about having to delete older ones to fit it all in! Setup only took me about 5 minutes and I was watching a movie on my iPhone from my MacBook within 10. Anyone into digital movies should look no further!

$2.99 on iPhone. Check it out! Also available on iPad.

7.      Rowmote Pro

Yes, Apple does offer a free official remote app, but these guys let you control your whole computer setup from the comfort of your own sofa. Want to open up Word and edit a document, you can! I found the user interface to be high-quality, although not fully utilising the whole screen. The response time is really quick, and considering it allows you to bring up the keyboard on you iPhone/iPad and type from your sofa, it needs to be! A recent addition of a track pad allows for full control of you MAC now as well; although some updates are due to polish it up a bit.

$4.99 on iPhone. Check it out! Also available on iPad.

8.      iLocate

Basically a lighter version of Yelp, but this makes it far faster at locating cinemas through GPS of Zip Code. Then, at a touch of a button, all of the contact information, including the website for booking, is displayed in a clear intuitive manner. There is a map view or a list view for search results, and I personally prefer the list view as in larger cities, all of the cinemas seem to get quite overcrowded around each other and are hard to select with just a finger. Although I believe this app doesn’t have enough to be a paid one, your 99c won’t go to waste when this great app just pure and simply works.

$0.99 on iPhone only. Check it out!

9.      DVD Ferret

A nifty little DVD price comparison app which works in the UK as well as the US. It allows you to search for a DVD or Blu Ray over dozens of stores online such as Amazon to help you find the cheapest option. The great thing about this is that it’s 100% free, so you can save money for nothing. It has actually helped me realise the amount of cash I have wasted in my local retailer. It does take a while for all the results to load up, but remember, it’s all in the name of saving money! I would recommend doing this over Wi-Fi for slightly quicker results.

Free on iPhone only. Check it out!

10.  Movie Quotes

Definitely for impressing you friends in the bar with witty comments, this app contains hundreds of quotes from movies past and present organised by genre. They are stored in the actual app so, even when offline, or when you don’t want to waste data allowance, each and every one of them are ready and waiting for you. Although some of them seem to be scratching the barrel somewhat, it is definitely worth a look.

$0.99 on iPhone only. Check it out!

11.  Movie Vault for iPad

This app allows you to stream 1000′s of free movies to your iPad over 3G or Wi-Fi. Some of these movies actually feature some good actors/actresses such as John Wayne, and cool directors like Alfred Hitchcock. There is a steep asking price at $4.99 but for over a 1000 films at very high quality picture and sound, this is totally worth it!

$4.99 on iPad only. Check it out!

Conclusion

Thanks for reading through this summary. I have personally tried each of these apps and rest assured that these are my honest top 11. Feel free to comment on you opinions, which top 10’s you would like in the future and any other articles you would enjoy reading. Cheers!

If the popularity of a new web browser made available in the App Store is any indication, iPhone users want flash support. Skyfire Web Browser launched last week and givess iPhone users the ability to view sites with Flash content. MobileCrunch reported that Skyfire grossed a whopping $1 million over launch weekend.

The app, which costs $2.99, was quickly pulled by Apple after Skyfire’s servers couldn’t handle the demand. The app works by converting Flash to HTML5. An iPad version is coming soon.

Is this proof that Apple’s customers want Flash support for iOS devices? It is probably too early to tell but at this early stage I would say yes. So should Apple give in to customer demands or does Steve Jobs know what is best for us?