Now that you’ve played a game about making games to death (Game Dev Story)why not move on to conquer the world of Rock and Roll? Band Stars is another in the long line of simulation/micromanagement games that boils the creation process down to statistics and creativity points. The difference here is that you’re running a band rather than a company.

If you’ve played any creation sim before, you’re likely familiar with Band Stars’ format. You start by creating your band from a basic set of characters then can hire more as you can afford them. Characters have unique stats that determine how useful they are in the recording process, and you can increase those stats through training.

iTunes users across the country are reporting an issue Apple ID being unable to log them into iTunes to make purchases or access previous purchased. A wave of Apple customers have taken to the online support forums over the past 12 hours to complain about a that is preventing users from being able to log in to iTunes.

When trying to sign in to the iTunes Stores the bug pitches back an error that reads “FATAL::Unable to process your request. Please try again.” Unfortunately the error isn’t limited to just desktop iTunes users, as many iPad and iPhone owners are having the same sign in problems. 

I almost wrote off Numerity.

After about 10 minutes with the hidden-number game, I thought it was ridiculously easy and almost insulting. All the game was doing was showing me numbers, and then I’d find them in the onscreen jumble and tap them until they formed a picture of Charlie Chaplin or Marilyn Monroe. It took about a minute for each puzzle, and I was ready to give it up then and there.

But then some weird things started happening.

Sure, you can open up Apple’s Maps app on your iPhone (or iPad, but really, who does that?) and enable live traffic information with a tap or two. It’s super helpful while you’re on the road, and helps you avoid the nasty traffic snarls that might be up ahead.

But what if you’re planning a trip from your Mac running Mavericks? Shouldn’t you be able to access that kind of data on your Mac?

Well, you can! Mavericks makes it super easy to enable, too.

Although not a new technology by any means, fingerprint scanners have historically been hamstrung by issues that have caused their sensors to degrade relatively rapidly, no longer being able to correctly read a fingerprint after only a few months.

When Apple introduced Touch ID with the iPhone 5s, they claimed to have solved that problem. Protected by nigh-indestructible Sapphire Glass, the Touch ID sensor is supposed to be able to read the curves and contours of your fingerprints at a resolution of up to 500 pixels per inch. But could Touch ID be just as susceptible to degradation issues over time as previous biometrics solutions?

Essential media player application Plex is now out in a new version for iOS users — adding support for the latest firmware along with a refreshed media component.

One of the most popular series of games for home consoles is Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed, in which a 21st Century cyberpunk is tasked with recovering memories of his ancestors from the past. The plot doesn’t make a lot of sense, frankly, but it doesn’t have to: it’s just the framing mechanism that allows players to take on the role of a number of assassins throughout history, from 15th Century Florence to ancient Jerusalem and Colonial America.

The latest game in the Assassin’s Creed series, Black Flag, brings the backstabbing and throat-slitting to the high seas, but it’s only available on the Xbox and PlayStation. No fear, though, because a companion game called Assassin’s Creed: Pirates has just been released on the App Store for iPhone and iPad users.

You know how you walk into a coffee shop or bar, order a refreshing beverage and then grab a newspaper or magazine to read? Now, thanks to Apple’s iBeacons, you can do the exact same thing, only you can peruse the provided periodicals on your iPad or iPhone.

Most of us are aware that the iPhone can be an effective security tool; there are countless clips on YouTube proving its worth as a recording device, and FaceTime, Skype and the like allow someone on the other end to watch, and if needed send help, when things get sketchy.

A recording of a mugging, however, is no use if the muggers steal the phone; and initiating a FaceTime call under extreme stress is probably more difficult than it might seem.

Enter Eye Got You Covered, a $4 app that fixes both those problems and adds other thoughtful features.

Rather than slogging through a lake of reviews to find something you’re just going to put down after 30 minutes, Cult of Mac has once again waded through the iTunes store to compile a list of the best new movies, albums and books to come out this week.

Enjoy!

Best Albums:

Disclosure – “Settle”

2013 is quickly winding down, which means other than a river of holiday albums, most of the good stuff is already out for the year.  One album that you might have missed that’s definitely worth a listen is “Settle” from the U.K. sibling duo of Guy and Howard Lawrence. The entire album is full of irresistible dance grooves and catchy synth hooks, perfect to mix in during your company’s annual Christmas party once things get really drab.

iTunes – $9.99

Britney Spears – “Britney Jean”

Speaking of dance music, Britney Spears hasn’t been like really relevant in almost a decade, but she’s got a new album out and ya know what? It’s not bad if you just like pop, but it’s great if you like dancing. “Britney Jean” is Spears’ eighth studio album and probably the best thing she’s released since “Circus,” thanks to a loaded deck of glittery pop bangers that feature stars such as will.i.am, T.I., and her sister Jamie Lynn, who’s got her own debut album coming out, too.

iTunes – $13.99

Jake Owens – “Days of Gold”

We never feature any country artists in the magazine, mostly because George Strait and Garth Brooks’ best years are long gone and who else is there? Oh, how about Jake Owen? His new album “Days of Gold” has a nice mix of modern country jams like “Beachin” and “Life of the Party” but he also shows off a bit of old school country charm in “Ghost Town” and “What We Ain’t Got.”

iTunes – $11.99

Best Books

George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved The American Revolution

by Brian Kilmeade & Don Yaeger

Thanksgiving is over and I’m just barely crawling out of my turkey comatose, but what better way to be a little bit more thankful for the U-S-of-A than learning about the crazy spy games our illustrious founding fathers used to beat the British during the Revolutionary War?

“George Washington’s Secret Six” plunges readers into the highly sophisticated and deeply secretive intelligence network George Washington organized to infiltrate New York and learn the British’s secret war plans. The Secret Six’s identities were so secret that one spy wasn’t uncovered until the 1900s, while another kept his identity secret from Washington the entire time.

The book details how General Washington rallied from his hasty retreat from New York in August 1776 and used his top-secret group called The Culper Spy Ring to gain the upper hand on the British, making for one of the most interesting Revolutionary War stories you’ve never heard about.

iTunes – $10.99

Undisputed Truth

by Mike Tyson and Larry Sloman

Mike Tyson is a weird dude. He’s gone from being the youngest heavyweight champion ever, to biting opponents ears off in the ring. The guy fought his way out of the poor streets of Brooklyn to become the most ferocious warrior the ring has ever seen, only to lose millions of dollars during the height of his fame leading to years of hard partying and criminal proceedings.

“Undisputed Truth” isn’t just a great autobiography about one of the most iconic boxers of our time, but it’s a raw and honest portrait of what makes Mike Tyson tick. Tyson dishes on what it was like to be a brilliant fighter compromised by reckless behavior as well as how he fought his way back to find success in acting with performances in movies like the “Hangover” films, his one-man stage show, and the relationships he’s built with his family.

iTunes – $14.99

The Walking Dead, Vol. 19: March To War

by Robert Kirkman & Charles Adlard

The Walking Dead TV show on AMC is about to go into its dreaded mid-season break but if you’re looking for more zombie action to enjoy during the holidays, check out the latest issue of “The Walking Dead” graphic novel. Volume 19: March To War is a collection of issues #109-114 that portray the lives of community leaders Rick, Ezekiel, Gregory and Negan as they approach an truly epic battle that promises to completely change the world of The Walking Dead. If you thought the show was an emotional thrill ride, just wait til you peek inside the gory pages of “March To War.”

iTunes – $14.99

Best Movies

Smash & Grab: the Story of the Pink Panthers

Everybody loves a good heist movie, but its so much more thrilling when the stakes of getting thrown in jail for life are actually real. “Smash & Grab” is a documentary about a real life crew of professional jewel thieves called The Pink Panthers who have been responsible for some of the most audacious robberies around the world over the last decade.

Director Havana Marking makes use of incredible security footage and in-depth interviews with police and even some anonymous Panthers about some of the clever techniques the gang used in some of their incredible heists, showing that you don’t always have to go the expensive “Oceans 11” route just to steal gigantic diamonds.

iTunes – $9.99

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Families should find a lot of enjoyment  in the latest Percy Jackson movie over the Christmas Break. “Sea of Monsters” follows Percy Jackson – the half-human son of Poseidon – on his quest to prove that he’s not just a “one-quest wonder” after saving Olympia and the rest of civilization in the last flick.

Fans of the book series might be a bit disappointed in the screen adaptation of “Sea of Monsters,” but if you’re a fan of Greek mythology or just need a good family-friendly action movie with a bunch of monsters in it, you’ll enjoy watching Percy and his demigod friends save the world again on their quest to find the fabled Golden Fleece.

iTunes – $14.99

Kick-Ass 2

After taking out Frank D’Amico in the first movie, self-made superhero Kick-Ass is trying to return to life as normal with his new foul-mouthed assassin friend Hit Girl, but pretty soon the world of superheroes pulls them into a new deadly challenge.

Red Mist – son of the deceased Mr. D’Amico – has gained control of his family’s wealth after accidentally killing his mother, so he decides to reinvent himself as the aptly name “Motherfucker.” Armed with new arsenal of deadly toys, The Motherfucker becomes the leader of a gang of super-villains sworn to take out Kick-Ass. To defeat the evil villains Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl find some new friends of their own in Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey) and Night Bitch. Needless to say the film is stocked full of colorful language and catastrophic levels of violence that are sure to delight you in completely inappropriate but oh-so-funny ways.

iTunes – $14.99