Reviews - page 144

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Starfront: Collision – (Free + $6.99 in-app purchase) iPhone – Games

Starfront: Collision is the latest in Gameloft’s long string of smash hit releases, and claims to be the epitome of real-time strategy games. It packs 20 action-packed missions across five gorgeous environments, a competitive online multiplayer mode, and striking 3D-redered environments, making it one of the best RTS titles for iOS to date. Discover the deep and engaging story of a war of resources told throughout the solo campaign, or wage war against friends in 4-person online multiplayer. Live your first battles as a commander completely free, and if you’re ready to take up the challenge of the full game, you can unlock it through an in-app purchase.

Gameloft has once again looked at an incredibly popular game and created an iOS alternative that doesn’t disappoint. It’s a model they’ve been following for while with their App Store releases, and one that certainly seems to be working incredibly well for them. For fans of Blizzard’s Starcraft series and other real-time strategies, I highly recommend Starfront: Collision – with its near-perfect UI and control system, countless hours of intense gameplay, and eye-popping 3D visuals, I think it’s one Gameloft’s most impressive releases so far.

Readlines – ($0.99) Universal – News

Readlines makes great use of your iOS device while it’s sat in its dock on your desk, and turns an otherwise boring blank screen in to a big, bold stream of random headlines from your Google Reader RSS feeds. In the same way that the recent Trickle application displays tweets from your Twitter feed, Readlines cycles through your unread stories and displays a constant stream of headlines. Clicking on a headline that interests you will take you straight to Safari where you can read the whole article.

If you use your Google Reader account like I do, you’ll get hundreds of news stories every day that you’ll have to sift through to get to the good stuff that you want to know about. With Readlines you can simply get on with your work while your headlines are streamed to your desk, and it makes picking out only those that interest you incredibly simple.

Mahjongg Dimensions – ($0.99) Universal – Games

Just like classic Mahjong, the main aim of this game is to use your creativity, speed, and memory by matching and removing all of the tiles before the times runs out, but Mahjongg Dimensions offers a whole new way to play. Rather than a set of 2D tiles, Mahjongg Dimensions is a rotatable 3D cube that requires you to explore each side in order to find your matches. The faster you match, the more points you’ll earn, and the points multipliers and bonus rewards ensure there’s plenty of excitement and intensity to keep you hooked.

For puzzle lovers, today’s must-have game is certainly worth its dollar price tag! I think it’s a great new way to play the classic game of Mahjong and offers a highly addictive challenge to those who are looking for something a little bit different.

If you use Gmail, MobileMe, or a standard IMAP email account, you might enjoy the seductive unobtrusive behavior of Notify, which does quite a lot more than simply notify you of new messages.

That’s its most basic function, and in that it does the same job that many of its rivals do for free.

But Notify offers so much more, to the point where it’s very nearly a replacement email client – but one that sits out of the way in your Menu Bar.

Even as a munchkin bolting around on my grandparent’s farm, weeds licking at my calves, my life had its own soundtrack. That the sound came from the single anemic speaker of a heavy, D-cell burdened cassette-radio that loved to lunch on my Queen’s Greatest Hits tape didn’t matter — there was music in the grass, floating through the dust, on my shoes. It was awesome.

Flash forward to our MP3-laden, music-streaming days of wonder where, unexpectedly, Philips’ powerful, Bluetooth-equipped Fidelio DS8550 triggered that same feeling in me — which is pretty impressive, considering my expectations have evolved far, far beyond tinny speakers and misbehaving machinery. In fact, Philips has stuffed so much sound and so many clever features into the DS8550, it’s become my go-to gadget in a way that maybe no other sound accessory has before.

Sky Combat – ($0.99) iPhone – Games

Sky Combat is a vertical shooter from Chillingo that combines cutting-edge graphics with classic shoot ’em up gameplay to deliver one of the most visually stunning aerial assault games for the iPhone. It’s packed full of intensely exciting levels and challenging bosses that pack some serious action; dodge missiles, hails of bullets, tank fire, and turrets, on your mission to take over the skies. Three difficulties levels ensure Sky Combat is hugely enjoyable whatever your level of gaming experience, and give you a reason to keep coming back for more in a bid to beat every tier.

For an unparalleled aerial combat experience and blow-away graphics that make the Retina display worth having, grab Sky Combat today for the bargain price of $0.99!

Tap Forms Database – (Free) iPhone – Business

Forget sifting through every piece of paper in your home to find your insurance details when you need to make a claim, or panicking because you’ve forgotten your PIN at the ATM when you need some cash – it’s now with you wherever you go.

Today’s must-have app is Tap Forms Database, a fantastic way to carry a database of important information with you wherever you go, all stored securely on your iPhone. It’s never been so quick and easy to organize all of your data and have it at your fingertips whenever you need it. Effortlessly create your own database and use the 25 ready-made forms to store passport information, vehicle registration information, credit card numbers, bank account details, software serial numbers, online login information, and so much more.

Download Tap Forms Database today for free and you’ll soon wonder how you ever lived without it!

HubbleSite – (Free) iPhone – Education

Today’s must-have iOS application is HubbleSite, the online home of NASA’s Hubble space telescope. For over 20 years Hubble has orbited the Earth, beaming home images of celestial splendour; now you have access to the world’s most remarkable Hubble images at your fingertips, to enjoy on your iPhone anytime, anywhere.

Cast your eye over a vast collection of spectacular sights from the Hubble archives and vote for the images that you find the to be the most astounding. Download a selection of wallpapers for your device, all of which have been chosen and edited to deliver beautiful results on the iPhone & iPod touch with a Retina display. Read a compilation of amazing facts about the Hubble telescope’s history and the scientific discoveries it has revealed, from the age of the universe to the mysterious force known as ‘dark energy’ – all within the official Hubble iOS app.

For anyone interested in space and the universe around us, HubbleSite should be the next application you download from the App Store.

N.O.V.A. 2 – ($0.99) iPhone – Games

Although it’s not strictly a brand new release, today’s must-have iOS game has been chosen simply because it’s one of the most exciting first person shooters available in the App Store, and it’s on sale today for just $0.99!

N.O.V.A. 2 is the sequel to Gameloft’s first hugely successful sci-fi FPS – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, and this follow up title boasts new enemies with improved AI, a larger range of weapons and powers, and 10-on-10 online multiplayer – you won’t want to miss it!

Find out more after the break!

If you use online streaming service Spotify, you’ll know that the client software required for controlling it is pretty good.

It’s simple to use, and not too cluttered with controls and extras. Since I started paying £5/month for Spotify’s advert-free Unlimited service, I’ve been listening to it for many hours on end, and found only one problem: I have to switch back to Spotify to control it.

Now it’s true that Spotify can be controlled with your Mac’s existing dedicated iTunes buttons – F7 for previous track, F8 for play/pause, and F9 for next track. But this only works well if iTunes isn’t running at the same time. If both apps are open, they both respond to these commands, and audio chaos ensues.

Spotify Menubar is a simple free utility that solves this problem by allowing you to set up your own system-wide keyboard shortcuts for Spotify, so you can avoid the conflict with iTunes and still have easy keyboard access to your favorite songs.

It would be nice if Spotify Menubar had some clickable controls of its own, which would better justify its position on the Menu Bar in the first place. But for those of us who spend hours a day with our heads inside Spotify playlists, it’s a useful little widget to have around nonetheless.

Kicking off our list of must-have iOS games this week is NBA Jam, the latest App Store hit from EA Sports, featuring all the over-the-top, high-flying, 2-on-2 arcade basketball action, just as you remember it. Relive that ’90s nostalgia with the hottest new arcade sports game for the iPhone, with the voice of Tim Kitzrow, the original NBA Jam play-by-play announcer.

Also in our favorites this week is Karoshi, an incredibly popular PC game which has now made its way to the iPhone, and also into the news headlines this week thanks to its dark storyline. Unlike the majority of games in which your sole purpose is to survive, in this one you take control of an overworked Japanese businessman whose mission is to end it all. As horrific and offensive as it sounds, it’s nowhere near as bad as you think, and it’s actually a lot of light-hearted fun.

Hungry Shark – Part 3 is the third of our choices this week, as well as the third in this series of top-selling aquatic eat ’em-ups. Chomp your way to the top of the food chain as you trawl the depths of the ocean in search of food to satisfy your voracious appetite in the most exciting Hungry Shark yet.

Find out more about the games above and check out the rest of this week’s must-haves, including Carnivores: Ice Age and Chicken Coup, after the break!

Free-App Hero is a clever tracker for good quality free games on the iOS App Store. Note the use of the words “good quality” there; Free-App Hero has an editorial team that’s fussy, and cares about the recommendations it makes.

So they won’t recommend rubbish games, or ad-supported games, or games that start good but get worse, or games that claim to be free but turn out to be useless without an in-app purchase.

All they’re interested in is finding the good free stuff, and passing it on to you.

Free-App Hero isn’t free, but neither is it expensive. And if you really don’t want to pay for it, the Cheapskate Edition is just as effective.

As a direct result of downloading Free-App Hero, I’m now completely obsessed with King of Tennis, which is probably the most bonkers game I’ve ever seen. Great fun, though. And that’s what Free-App Hero is all about; delivering fun.

All Macs come with a built-in todo list, which you can find inside the iCal application, although personally speaking I don’t get on with it there, and find it unwieldy to use.

Landing in the iOS App Store tomorrow is Index Card v2 for iPad, a multi-touch version of the corkboard-and-index-cards system popular with screenwriters and others who need to arrange multiple ideas within a project.

Inspired by the Corkboard feature of Scrivener for Mac (the Scrivener people know), Index Card allows users to move cards around, label by color, and even write on the back of cards (the ‘flip’ arrow changes color if there’s something written on the back).

This latest version adds a trio of new features: Stacks, customizable label names, and the option to export notes with the rest of your project to RTF for Word or Final Draft.

Testing the app last week, I found it to be responsive and easy to use. It does exactly what it it promises.

That said, at least on the surface, Index Card is very much about the needs of screenwriters. Developer DenVog would do well to add options in its next release to make the app more appealing to general productivity users. More backgrounds than just cork and solid black would also be welcome.

I can’t say I use index cards in my daily life, but for those that do, Index Card should prove practical. The app already counts a couple of Emmy-nominated producers as users.

William N. Fordes, a Co-Executive Producer/Writer on Law & Order, tells me that he finds Index Card “superb” and “well thought out”.

“The ease with which the individual cards can be moved around is terrific, and makes rethinking the shuffle of scenes so much easier,” he says.

If iPhoto leaves you cold, or perhaps doesn’t run so well on your older Mac, there aren’t many options for a similar application that combines photo editing and photo library management. Not many, except for Picasa.

Google’s free photo app is a great alternative to iPhoto, generously packed with features and a good choice for people who want to quickly upload photos to the web.

In most respects, it compares very well to iPhoto, including features like face recognition and geolocation data. It comes with a selection of quick edit presets, and easy (but basic) slider controls for detailed editing.

What’s particularly nice about Picasa, though, is its speed. It roars through photo libraries that leave rival photo managers struggling to catch up. On first run, it will zip through your iPhoto library – not copying any files (so don’t worry about disk space) – but indexing all your data there and building up its own copy of the iPhoto library.

Picasa is one of those things it makes sense to have around. It’s free, it’s packed with useful stuff, and even if you don’t put it to immediate use, there might yet come a day when you’ll be glad you have it to hand.

(You’re reading the 28th post in our series, 50 Essential Mac Applications: a list of the great Mac apps the team at Cult of Mac value most. Read more, or grab the RSS feed.)

Note: Jonathan Zschau is a Boston-based attorney and a specialist in consumer rights.

UPDATE: SquareTrade has objected to some of the statements and characterizations in this article. The company has some good points, which are published in full here.

As well as a good case or bumper, should you buy an extended service plan to protect your iPhone?

These service contracts are commonly referred to as “extended warranty plans,” “protection plans,” or “insurance plans” and promise to insure your iPhone from defect, accidental damage, and sometimes loss or theft.

The problem with extended service contracts is that they don’t offer you much more than you are already entitled to through your iPhone’s warranty, AppleCare, or existing consumer protection laws.

Although these service contracts do offer additional protection from accidental damage, theft, or loss they are also fraught hidden conditions, exclusions, and deductibles, which ultimately detract from their utility. Except for a very small minority of unusually accident-prone iPhone owners, these extended service contracts are a waste of money.

One of our favorite applications to make it in to the App Store this week is Google’s latest iPhone app, Google Shopper. By recognizing products by barcode, voice and text search, and even cover art, Google Shopper helps you find the information you need on millions of products, including online prices, reviews, specifications, and more.

Also to feature in this week’s list of must-haves is The Daily, the first digital news publication created exclusively for the iPad. The long-awaited publication boasts original content every single day, covering breaking news, sports, pop culture, entertainment, apps, games, technology, and lots more.

PaperHelper for the iPad also makes our pick of the best apps this week thanks to its innovative design and excellent user interface, which makes writing essays and papers on your device a great deal easier. Its unique split-screen feature enables you to write your document on one half of your iPad’s display while you browse the web for information and reference on the other half.

Find out more about the applications above and check out the rest of this week’s must-haves, including IntoNow and Thermo, after the break!

First on our list of must-have iOS games this week is EA’s latest hit, Bop It!, which brings all of the crazy fun from the incredibly popular Hasbro handheld game to your iPhone and iPod touch. Listen to the whacky commands and get ready to test your reflexes in this frantic mega hit.

Also on our list of favorites this week is Gameloft’s latest App Store release, Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden. Plunge in to the most ambitious action RPG ever made for iOS in this amazing adventure that features countless hours of fascinating gameplay set in a glorious 3D world.

Battleheart is a unique fantasy combat game from the creators of Zombieville USA and OMG Pirates, which distills some of the greatest elements of roleplaying and real-time strategy games and incorporates them in to this remarkable battler that also earns a place in our pick of this week’s top games.

Find out more about the games above and check out the rest of this week’s must-haves, including Who Wants To Be A Millionaire 2011 and New Bust-A-Move, after the break!

Computer speakers requiring serious plunking down of dough (we’re going to peg “serious” at over $100 in this particular instance; the Z520s weigh in at an MSRP of $130, well over the threshold) ought to pack really good sound, some sort of neat tech trick or come with a year’s worth of free pizza. The 2-way Z520s try the middle route by offering some design wizardry that almost, but doesn’t quite, account for the price — or make up for an acute case of bass-gone-missing.

Back in the web’s Dark Ages, before anyone even dreamed of creating a logo for a markup language, and when messing around with default link colors was adventurous web design, the closest thing anyone had to online video was the animated GIF.

It was just a small series of still image files glued together, but when played in sequence they looked like movement. A million “UNDER CONSTRUCTION” animated signs bloomed across the early web.

Since then, the animated GIF has gone out of fashion. You don’t see them so much. But you might see more soon, and enjoy making your own, thanks to a new photo toy for iPhone called GIFvid.

This week’s must-have iOS apps features the impressive new BEP360 application from the Black Eyed Peas, which boasts the first jaw-dropping ‘3D360’ mobile music video, as well as access to each band member’s Twitter feed, an addictive little mini-game, and more.

Task Eater is a beautifully simple task management application that helps you to stay organized with the help of your iPhone. It offers all of the great features you need to manage your todo list, including notes; color highlighting; and due dates with alarms, and its minimalistic user interface makes everything very easy.

Essay is a rich text editor that provides only the most essential formatting options to keep you focussed on your document. It uses the HTML file format and offers a wealth of features that make it a fantastic writing application for any writer.

Find out more about the applications above and check out the rest of this week’s must-haves, including 3D Audio Illusions and CelebrityBooth, after the break!

One of the most impressive iOS games included in our must-haves this week is the much anticipated Dead Space from Electronic Arts. Delve into an all-new Dead Space story three years on from the destruction of Marker in the first Dead Space release, and find yourself on a mission of uncertain purpose in the Mines of Titan. Experience first-hand the events that unleash Necromorph hordes once again in the first ever Dead Space storyline devised for iOS.

Zombie Cafe is a unique cafe management sim in which you use zombies for your workers as opposed to living humans. In a town where it’s hard to find good employees, you’ve partnered up with an evil corporation to use zombies as free labor to build your cafe empire. What’s great about Zombie Cafe is that when your local competition gets too fierce, you can summon your team of zombie workers to attack your neighboring rivals and steal their secret recipes.

In Grim Joggers you have control of a group of 15 joggers and your mission it to take them as far as you can before each and every one of them faces their gruesome end. This arcade-style survival game sees casual jogging become a gory bloodsport.

Find out more about the games above and check out the rest of this week’s must-haves, including Pocket Dinosaurs 2 and Aerial Assault, after the break!

On The Job is an excellent tool for small business owners, freelancers, contractors, and anyone else who needs to charge clients for work.

Macworld 2011 is finally here, and those of you lucky enough to be attending will be amongst the first to discover the coolest new software, hardware, and accessories for use with our favorite Apple devices; as well as expert advice, demonstrations, and instructions on how to get the most out of these products.

To help you survive the four days of excitement and celebration, we’ve compiled a great list of iOS applications that will ensure you experience the best of both the Macworld Expo, and the beautiful city of San Francisco. The applications we’ve selected will help you find a taxi to your accommodation when you touchdown at the airport; navigate your way around the city and discover everything there is to see; find the best places to eat, drink, catch a show, or meet friends; and lots more.

However, our list of applications isn’t just for those attending the conference – for those of you stuck at home this week, we’ve also included some great applications that will ensure you’re kept up to date with the latest news and everything that’s unmissable at Macworld.

Check out our list of applications after the break, and here’s to a great Macworld 2011!