News - page 1590

Roguelike games are marked by four main things: randomly generated levels, permadeath , turn-based gameplay and (usually) ASCII graphics. They also usually have insane difficulty levels and absolutely unhinged gameplay mechanics that you simply can’t find in other types of games.

I’ve written about my unapologetic love for roguelikes before, but unfortunately, they’re very keyboard heavy games… and that means that the very thing I love most about them (their unhinged gameplay mechanics) tend to make them entirely unsuitable for playing on a touchscreen device like an iPhone or iPad.

It seems, though, that one of the best modern roguelikes out there has successfully made the transition to the iPad pretty much unscathed. It’s called Brogue, and whether you’re an existing fan of roguelike games or someone who wants to figure out what the fuss is all about, this is a game you should play.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop made his feelings about Apple’s popular smartphone clear on a Finnish TV show this week when he threw the presenter’s iPhone across the studio. Elop promised to provide him with a new Nokia handset, but he refused to answer questions about the rumored Lumia 928.

The Speedtest.net app is undoubtedly the quickest and easiest way to test your broadband and data speeds on your iOS devices — and it’s completely free. And thanks to its latest update, it’s better than ever before. The app now has a brand new look which supports the iPhone 5’s larger display (finally!) and a number of new features.

Autodesk has a stunning — and I’m not using the word lightly here — catalog of free design-focused iOS apps that do everything from applying filters to photos, to drawing on your iPad — or even turning the subject of an iPhone photo into a 3D model. Now, they’re taking their deep knowledge of modeling, physics and mechanics and using it to make iPad apps that’ll teach your kids cool stuff. For free.

Update: A Department of Defense spokesperson emailed us today to set the record straight. Here’s what he had to say:

The department is aware of recent reporting that asserts it is ‘dropping’ BlackBerry. This reporting is in error. The department recently released its mobility strategy and supporting implementation plan, which clarifies we are moving towards a mobile management capability that supports a variety of devices, to include BlackBerry. As clarified in the recent release of our Commercial Mobile Device Implementation Plan, we are working towards establishing a multi-vendor environment in support of the DoD mobility strategy.

The Commercial Mobile Device Implementation Plan updates the June 2012 Mobile Strategy with specific objectives and puts the strategy into action. A key objective of the plan is to establish a department-wide mobile enterprise solution that permits the use of the latest commercial technology such as smart phones and tablets, and the development of an enterprise mobile device management capability and application store to support approximately 100,000 multivendor devices by February 2014. DoD currently has more than 600,000 Commercial Mobile Devices in operational and pilot use, including 470,000 Blackberries, 41,000 Apple Operating Systems and 8,700 Android Systems.

The original article continues below.

According to a new report at the Wall Street Journal, Apple’s new management team dynamic, which includes design maven Jonathan Ive at the helm of both the hardware and software teams behind iOS, is seeing a new era of collaboration. ONe source familiar with the matter went so far as to call the exchange of ideas between Ive and human interface lead Greg Christie, known for his bluntness, as “pleasant and cordial.”

Sounds like things are changing over there at Apple, which is a good thing for proponents of Ive’s preference for a less skeumorphic design ethos. Having Ive watching the software along with the hardware may bring a flatter, more modern look to iOS 7, sure to be coming soon.

The fact that we’re mentioning this game really hinges on one fact: It’s being released by Firaxis and 2K Games, two names behind some of the greatest games ever made: Sid Meier’s Pirates, XCOM: Enemy Unknown and of course, the Civilization series (and for a little bit here, let’s just forget that 2K is also responsible for the somewhat poorly received Borderlands Legends).

Dropbox’s recent acquisition, Mailbox, has already updated, bringing a new shake to undo function, some user interface enhancements, and the requisite “bug fixes and performance optimizations.”

Mailbox garnered internet-wide attention for its approach to email, with a light, fast, mobile-friendly interface. Cult of Mac’s own John Brownlee called it the best email app he’s ever used. Messages are archived or trashed with a swipe, and entire email exchanges are presented in a threaded, conversational style. You can even snooze your emails to check them out later, an essential component to an on-the-go email client, right? Mailbox also lets you get push notifications for new messages.

It’s only for GMail accounts at this point, with other email platforms coming soon. To reserver your spot, simply download the app from the app store, and check your spot in line at https://mailboxapp.com/reservations, and then read this to figure out how long you’re gonna have to wait.

What’s New in Version 1.1.0
– Shake to undo!
– UI enhancements
– Bug fixes and performance optimizations

Source: App Store
Via: App Shopper

Apparently, the folks who star in HBO’s hit drama, Game of Thrones, are pretty smart, as five of the six castmembers interviewed before the premiere of the first episode of the upcoming third season admit to using an iPhone over an Android. Of course, Rose Leslie, who plays the part of savage wildling beyond the wall, Ygritte, uses an Android device. Figures.

Apple has warned developers for nearly a year that apps should not use UDIDs, and that they will be rejected in the future. A deadline has finally come on UDID apps, as Apple just announced they will reject any apps that use UDIDs starting on May 1st.

Another stipulation on Apple’s deadline, is that all apps must support the iPhone 5’s 4-inch display too. Here are the full notes on the deadline:

After a slew of complaints from users, Apple has just updated the Podcasts app for iOS. Gone away are the skeuomorphic UI elements that were prominent during the app’s original release. Instead, Apple has trimmed the UI down to its more essential elements.

Podcasts 1.2 is available in the App Store for free right now. The update includes some new features, such as On-The-Go playlists, Custom Stations, iCloud synchronization and more.

Here are the full notes:

Following a seemingly endless series of hacks that have afflicted cloud service providers like Evernote and Dropbox, Apple has just introduce two-step verification for your Apple ID, which makes you enter a code (sent to a single trusted device) every time you make changes to your account or make a new iTunes or App Store purchase from a new device.

Regular readers will know how much I dislike iPad cases, and that I only ever subject my iPhone to the confines of a miniature straitjacket. They’ll also know that I’m a big fan of Skech cases in general. So what happened when Skech sent me some leathery iPhone covers to try out?

Surprise! I (quite) liked them.

After a few days of speculation, Google’s Chairman, Eric Schmidt, finally commented on whether Google Now would be making its way to iOS. This morning, Schmidt said that Google Now has been submitted to the App Store and the only thing standing in its way is Apple. The only problem is Schmidt’s completely wrong.

Apple commented on the Google Now approval process this afternoon and said that they haven’t even received Google Now yet.

Rego is an app that answers the question “How do I remember this place?” It’s a question partially addressed by Foursquare’s check-ins, and also by Evernote’s location-aware notes. But Rego goes further than both, letting you save places you’ve been to, places you find, and places you have never even seen.

Following heavy complaints from activist groups like Greenpeace, Apple announced last year that all of its data centers would be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2013.

Apple just updated their Environmental Policies webpage to report that as of now, all its data centers are running on 100% renewable energy.

We don’t often think of Apple as a cloud services company because so much emphasis is placed on hardware, but for many consumers, Apple’s iCloud is their first experience using cloud storage.

Over this past fall, Strategy Analytics conducted a study on which cloud services are the most popular in the U.S. right now, and iCloud grabbed the top spot with 27% usage.

Apple is set to deal Samsung yet another blow by snubbing its displays for all future iOS devices. According to a new report from the Korea Economic Daily, the Cupertino company will purchase panels from Sharp, LG Display, Japan Display, and AU Optronics instead.

Did you wake up this morning thinking that what you really need is a new, hard-to-navigate news app for your iPhone or iPad? Then you’re in luck: Reuters has announced just that. It’s called “Reuters,” and it mixes the seriousness of news with the fun of frustrating gestures.

There’s some irony in the fact that David Sparks’ (MacSparky) book on Markdown – a format dedicated to being as simple as possible – is published as an iBook which contains audio, video, screenshots and everything else, along with its text.

But if you are either Markdown-curious, or a hardcore Markdown user who just wants to nerd out for an afternoon or two, it’s worth checking out.

Spotify has updated its iOS app with the ability to view artist biographies and images. The new artist view will be displayed when you tap on an artist’s name for a currently playing track. There’s a cover image you can tap to view the full biography. This feature has been available on the desktop for some time.

Ever since the iPhone was released in 2007 it has slowly made a slew of other devices and accessories obsolete. At the very least, you probably have a bit less clutter in your life thanks to it.

To celebrate the utilitarian powers of the iPhone, we’re having an Instagram contest this week, and we’re giving out free stuff. All you have to do is take a picture of stuff your iPhone has replaced, post it on Instagram with “#cultofmac” and you’ll be entered to win.

What should you Instagram? Anything that you think your iPhone has replaced. Whether that be your Xbox, or even your ex-girlfriend. We don’t care, it’s up to you. We’ll choose five winners who will get a free 10-inch print from InstaThis. You’ll be judged on creativity and composition, so make your photos count.

Here’s How To Enter:

I only really use Facebook for its messaging features; the last time I actually updated my status was February 2012. But the company is testing an annoying new feature which could persuade users like me to turn their back on it altogether. It wants to send you a push notification on your iOS devices that bugs you to post a new status update if you haven’t done so in a while.

J.D. Power & Associates has released its latest semi-annual smartphone customer satisfaction survey, and Apple once again sits at the very top of the list.

Apple has won the industry survey 9 times in a row now, and J.D. Power notes that Apple continues to do “particularly well in physical design and ease of operation.”

Last week, Google accidentally posted a video to its YouTube channel which announced Google Now is coming to iOS. The company quickly pulled it shortly after it went up, and it wasn’t clear whether the app would actually come to fruition, or whether it was a project Google had started and then killed.

Now the company’s chairman, Eric Schmidt, has confirmed Google Now is on its way to the App Store — but only if Apple approves it.