I have a friend I once queried about the contents of his PC gaming library. He looked at me a little quizzically, then replied that he had the only game one ever need play: Civilization. In that instance, it happened to be Civilization 4, Civ 5’s immediate PC predecessor, arguably considered the finest version of the series since Sid Meier’s original 1991 masterpiece.

He’s not alone. Press any gamer for a name that defines the category of turn-based strategy, and the answer will almost invariably be “Civilization.” Intelligent, beautifully crafted, incredibly detailed with finely honed gaming mechanics, the  games are as much a beauty to behold as they are immensely satisfying to play.

The latest installment, Civ 5 ($40), released for the Mac late last year and recently added to the Mac App Store, is the biggest departure from the series since the original.

Apple just released two new commercial ads for the iPhone, and they both play off of the “If you don’t have an iPhone…” pitch we’ve been hearing for awhile.

The first add highlights the iPod + iTunes on the iPhone, while the second features the App Store.

Steve Jobs has always been considered the heart and soul of Apple. He’s the man that has brought us Apple’s most successful products of the last decade, including the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. He’s been the face of Apple for years, and he’s seen as an industry innovator and pioneer.

Since his third medical leave of absence in January of this year, Jobs has begun to slowly let go of the reins at Apple. He’s still very much in control, but the ‘Age of Jobs’ is drawing to an end.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8KVz0CKbwU&feature=player_embedded

iPhone 5 knock-offs are already available in China, even though the real thing doesn’t even have a solid ship-date yet. Even in white!

All the senators in the West Virginia Legislature will tote iPads in a move to make them more efficient politicians.

OS X Lion Server hasn’t gotten much attention since its release alongside the standard version of Lion, but users will be happy to know that you can actually manage your iOS device’s settings straight from OS X Lion Server.

The main purpose of such a feature seems to be geared more towards system admins and those dealing with multiple iDevices that require similar setting configurations.

Apple’s main mobile competitor, Android, isn’t exactly known for being the most secure platform. While Google’s ‘open’ mentality has proven beneficial in many ways for the Android OS, a non-curated system often leads to compromises in security.

We’ve already seen numerous malware programs surface on the Android OS, and the latest one is particularly villainous.

We’ve heard this one before, way back in June, but now the Guardian’s saying that the iPhone 5 is now really, honestly and truly being tested by carriers… and they’ve got a Mission Impossible style description of the procedures Apple is using to keep the iPhone 5 safe to prove it!

iSuppli went and did the math: how does Apple get away with using half as much memory in its iPads compared to the competition yet still manage to just mop the floor with Samsung, Motorola and RIM in performance?

The secret sauce? The fact that Apple designs both the hardware and the software.

Don’t be in such a hurry to believe talk Apple will hold out until October to release its next-gen iPhone, one Wall Street analyst warns. Reading the tea leaves left by Asian suppliers, the expert gives three reasons why a new handset will appear earlier.

Finally! After a false start earlier this morning, Skype has finally rolled out their long waited for native iPad app.

A document leaked from one Canadian carrier could confirm yesterday’s report that claims Apple’s iPhone 5 will be arriving in October, rather than September as months of speculation initially led us to believe.

While Apple’s tech support line isn’t the nightmare of most automated phone systems, it’s tarnishing the Cupertino, Calif. company’s sterling reputation with customers. That’s the finding of a study showing HP and Dell service calls are catching up with the tech giant.

One of Lion’s welcome new features is the Windows Migration Assistant. This capability is an add-on to the venerable Migration Assistant application which has moved data between Macs since Panther. There hasn’t been an option in the program to automate this task from Windows machines until now.

Alas, like early versions of Spotlight and Time Machine, how this technology works in practice is a bit buggy and not yet ready for prime time – at least in the current iteration.

Iomega has announced its latest external hard drive for Mac users today. Named the Mac Companion, the drives are available with either 2 or 3 terabytes of storage at 7,200 rpm and start at $195. But what’s great about this baby is it fits beautifully under your iMac and will also charge your iOS devices while you work.

After a series of lengthy delays, the re-release of Final Fantasy Tactics: The War Of The Lions from Square Enix is set to hit the App Store this Thursday, August 4. While its release will be a chance the Americans among us to reminisce, for those of us in Europe, it will be the first time we get the opportunity to experience this PlayStation classic.

If the upcoming next-gen iPhone likely won’t get 4G LTE, what will keep consumers’ interest? Turns out the iPhone 5 (or whatever the handset is eventually named) is going to be a ‘bigger upgrade than expected.’

Despite Apple’s best efforts, you can make a bootable install disk of Mac OS X Lion… but it’s not for the faint-hearted, or those who aren’t tech inclined.

Luckily, there’s an even easier way to make a bootable OS X Lion disk now. It’s called Lion DiskMaker, and it turns making your own installable Lion USB key drive into a one-click affair.

The huge demand of Apple’s second-generation iPad meant that for some time following its launch back in March, customers purchasing through the Apple online store were faced with a four- to five-week delay before their device left the Foxconn factory. Now, things are a lot different.

Many of the complaints I’ve heard about Mac OS X Lion is about Dashboard. It now has its own space (virtual desktop) where all your Dashboard Widgets live. Well those living arrangements aren’t as permanent as one would think. Here is a tip on how you can set your Widgets free!

Apple is famous for its attention to detail, so it’s no surprise to us that a lot of effort has gone into the iCloud error pages to ensure they’re not your typical mundane error pages.

Following the launch of the iCloud.com beta, Apple unveiled the pricing structure for its iCloud storage upgrade options. For the first 5GB, iCloud is completely free, but if you need need more storage, subscriptions start at $20 a year for 10GB.

Apple has just launched its iCloud.com online service which will later be the successor to MobileMe. Those signed up to the service can now use their web browser to access their Mail, Contacts, Calendar and more.

That’s right  — the next time you watch a pirated feed bringing you announcement of the next iPhone (like, say, next month), you could be kicking back and watching it on the iPad, thanks to Ustream’s new iPad app.

Developed by a crime victim, a new app called ThugsMug promises to snap pics of perps while misdeeds are in progress to provide evidence.

Launched July 24, the $4.99 app bills itself as “World’s First Safety Protection App for iPhone & iPad 2.” That’s not strictly true, we’ve alerted you to a number of ICE (in case of emergency) apps like Silent Bodyguard which equips users with a panic button.
This may be the first one, though, that activates your camera to capture evidence at regular intervals.

The developer suggests you activate ThugsMug in potentially dangerous situations, putting it in “armed” mode when at ATM machines, parking lots, bus stops, subways, train stations and malls, or while on vacation or walking or jogging alone.

Should danger strike, by hitting “active,” the app sends email messages with pictures to your designated emergency contacts. It can be set to take pictures every 10 seconds, with flash if your device supports it. The app will also alert 911, too.

The person who developed it was victim of a motorcycle jacking incident, which ended up in a crash and violent beating. There were witnesses, but no one was ever caught.

The developer, who remains nameless in the account, says:

“Reflecting back, I wish I could have captured a picture of them the moment I jumped up from the crash. I had immediately grabbed my phone from my back pocket and had it in my hand when I was assaulted however, my phone did nothing more than block a few blows. Even if they had taken my phone and destroyed it, the pictures would have already been automatically sent to my emergency contact.”

Do you think these emergency apps are useful?