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- First Look: Mouse House
Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, iPod touch, First Look
Mouse House is a very adorable and surprisingly complicated puzzle game from Plaid World Studios. At first look, it seems like a very simple game with graphics that appear to be on par with Super Nintendo games. But, it's actually surprisingly tough and addictive.
The game's premise is simple -- eat cheese and progress through the unlocked doors once they open. Along the way, you have to dodge bees, evil rats, crumbling floors and try not to get pinned in a corner by pushing balls the wrong way. It looks simple, but isn't. After completing the 8-level tutorial, it took me a few retries to get through the next few levels.
The sound effects are truly what make this game stand out. The little noises from eating cheese and getting through an open door successfully are quite adorable. The controls are easy to use -- tap the screen in a vertical or horizontal line from where the mouse is and he'll move to that spot. There's no game soundtrack other than the sound effects. Instead, you can listen to the music already loaded on your iPhone or iPod Touch and the sound effects will play over the music. However, I enjoy the effects so much I simply play without the music.
Mouse House (link opens iTunes) is currently available for US$.99TUAWFirst Look: Mouse House originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - SnOwned tries multiplayer snowball on the iPhone
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Humor, Software, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
I kind of like the idea behind snOwned, a new wintry app on the App Store that claims to be a "multiuser, online snowball fight." I think there is some great multiplayer gaming to be had with the iPhone, and, if enough people are interested, there might be some in snOwned.
You download the app from the App Store (it's 99 cents, which is cheap but maybe not cheap enough for what it is), and then sign your email up along with a username. Once you've activated, you can then "throw snowballs" (which consists of three little fun minigame steps) at anyone else with the app installed on their iPhone or iPod touch around the world. And they can throw them back at you, you can play a short game to defend, stats are kept on the site, and so on. As with most social games, it all depends on who's in the game with you -- if you've got friends along to keep up rivalries with, it could be fun. But just throwing random snowballs at random people around the globe, as I did (my ingame name is "toucansamurai") isn't really worth the dollar's admission.
Still, it's a start -- the game can also track your location when you throw, so you can see where your snowballs are going on the globe, and who's throwing at you. I think there will eventually be a runaway game of this kind, where we're all playing with each other socially on our own phones in different places all over the world (Loot Wars is another game that's interesting in this vein, even if it's not quite there yet). And snOwned is another step closer to that. But as any MMO company will tell you, the only way to make a social game great is to have everyone playing it, and I'm not sure there's enough going on in this one to pull in a lot of really interested players.TUAWSnOwned tries multiplayer snowball on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple Store free shipping deadline is tonight
Filed under: Retail, Stocking Stuffers
If you're flush enough to give Apple gifts this holiday season, but frugal enough to want to avoid shipping charges and still get your gear in time for Christmas, be mindful: Apple's web store deadline for free express shipping is tonight at midnight Pacific time (3 AM Saturday ET). Most items (including refurb machines) can still be shipped in time if ordered by 12/23 at 10 am PT, for an additional fee; however, tonight is the last chance to put your money down for an engraved iPod.
If you really like the idea of gift shopping at the very last minute and beyond, you do have one option that can take you right into Christmas Day: Apple's flagship 5th Avenue retail store in NYC will be open as usual, 24/7 right through the holiday. My sympathies, in advance, to the retail staffing team that's drawn the short straw and has to work overnight on New Year's Eve... that's going to be messy.
[via Dealnews]TUAWApple Store free shipping deadline is tonight originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Financial site Mint.com releases iPhone app
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Odds and ends, Freeware, iPhone, App Store
I've been using Mint.com (not to be confused with Shawn Inman's great Mint web stats tracker) to track my financial information for a while now. It's very nice -- completely free, and hooks right into your bank accounts, investments, or other financial accounts online (securely, of course -- they've got over 7,500 institutions in the system) to let you know what you're spending, when, and where. I'm lazy when it comes to budgets, but Mint will automatically make budgets for you based on what you spent the month before, so I can see if my groceries, bus fare, or, ahem, iPhone app budgets go over one month.
And now they're released an iPhone app, so you can have access to all of that information on the go. It's pretty much a portable Mint -- you've got all of your usual account information, alerts are pushed off onto their own screen, so you can see at a glance where you're overspending, and you can flip through and see your expenses for the month, where your cash is going, and any budgets you've programmed into Mint. The app is quick and easy to use -- like Mint.com, but in the palm of your hand. It's free and on the App Store right now (though of course you have to set yourself up on their website first).
One security issue: the app wisely recommends that if you don't have a passcode on your phone already, you put one on it, since your financial information will be available to anyone using your phone. The Mint.com folks also tell us that you can disable iPhone app access from their website, so even if you do lose your phone, you can keep unwanted users from reaching your information. But as with everything, there's a tradeoff of convenience and security -- while it's helpful to have this information anywhere you are, the flip side is that it's that much more likely to fall into the wrong hands.TUAWFinancial site Mint.com releases iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - New iMacs and Mac minis to use NVIDIA chips?
Filed under: Rumors, iMac, Mac mini
AppleInsider is reporting that the speculated refresh for the iMac and Mac minis lines might include NVIDIA graphics chips. This information was discovered while an InsanelyMac forum poster found some extension files included with the new MacBooks/MacBook Pros. The exentions were named, "iMac9,1" and "Macmini3,1."
Currently shipping iMacs and Mac minis have the model numbers of "iMac 8,1" and "Macmini2,1," respectively. The kernel extension .plist file is part of the SMC (System Management Controller) and ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface), and made reference to "CFG_MCP79."
The MCP79 is a graphcis chipset offered by NVIDIA that is found on the current line MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air. For more information, you can read the forum posting at InsanelyMac.
[via AppleInsider]TUAWNew iMacs and Mac minis to use NVIDIA chips? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Does Imagination license spell HD-out for future iPhones?
Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, iPhone
Over at Ars Technica, Chris Foreman dives into yesterday's story that Imagination Technologies Group, developer of the PowerVR chip for mobile device displays, has a licensing agreement with Apple for its chip designs (long suspected by AppleInsider but only just confirmed) and that Apple has picked up a chunk of ITG stock; cnet puts it at $5 million worth for a 3.6% stake. The 'smoking gun' press release from Imagination that was linked yesterday has mysteriously disappeared from the company's press page, which does lead one to wonder if the news wasn't quite ready for prime time -- but the speculation about what future iPhones might be capable of in the video-out department is still quite enticing. (You can see the Google-cached version of the PR blurb here.)
Foreman notes that the ITG chip designs Apple might use (the PowerVR SGX and VXD) would provide a dramatic boost to 3D performance, with Open GL ES 2.0 support, and also allow for HD-quality video out via the dock connector. Adding the playback power of an Apple TV (or better) to a mobile device, while reducing the power consumption required to pull off the trick? Add in a low-power 802.11n chipset for wireless streaming and you've just turned the home theater and set-top box market completely upside down.
If your iPod touch or iPhone could take over all your video playback needs at HD resolutions, would it find a home on your media center shelf? Mine would.TUAWDoes Imagination license spell HD-out for future iPhones? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - X-Plane Airliner / Helicopter versions now available
Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPod touch
X-Plane is an amazing cross-platform flight simulator app, and it has brought the thrill of flying to iPhone / iPod touch owners as well. The small screen size and limited memory of the iPhone platform made X-Plane for iPhone somewhat less impressive than the Mac and Windows versions in that you could only fly four different aircraft types.
Austin Meyer, the developer of X-Plane, has resolved this dilemma by releasing versions of X-Plane for iPhone for airliner and helicopter fanatics. X-Plane-Airliner for iPhone / iPod touch (click opens iTunes) is now available for US$4.99. You get the choice of three different present (Boeing 747, 777, and Airbus 380) and one future (Boeing 787) airliners with up to 98 airports in Southern California to fly to. Yeahhhh, I want to try landing at SNA in an A-380!
X-Plane Helicopter (click opens iTunes), also priced at US$4.99, lets you experience the helicopter flying experience with your Apple handheld. There are four helicopter types to play with: the Robinson R-22, Bell 206, BlackHawk, and Sea King.
Be sure to check out the TUAW review of the original version of X-Plane for iPhone / iPod touch.TUAWX-Plane Airliner / Helicopter versions now available originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone 101: Add mobile websites to home screen
Filed under: iPhone, iPhone 101
Many websites and services offer great mobile versions without being packaged in an App Store application. If you want to be able to quickly access these sites from your home screen, follow these steps:
- Launch Safari on your iPhone
- Browse to a desired mobile site (most sites will automatically redirect you to the mobile version once they determine that you're using an iPhone)
- Click the Favorites (+) button at the bottom of Safari
- Click "Add to Home Screen"
- Type a name for the icon that will appear on your home screen
- Click the "Add" button
TUAWiPhone 101: Add mobile websites to home screen originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - The Silent Keynote Campaign
Filed under: Macworld, Analysis / Opinion, Apple
The Apple keynote address at Macworld Expo is usually a boisterous affair, full of cheering, applause, and anxious chatter about new products. With 2009 being the last year of Apple's attendance at Macworld Expo, Lesa Snider King thinks that a silent protest might send a message to Apple's leadership:
On Tuesday, Dec. 16 Apple Inc. announced that Steve Jobs would not do the keynote at the 2009 Macworld Conference & Expo. That's okay. They also announced that they would no longer attend the conference in the future. That's not okay. For 25 years, a very loyal and passionate Mac community has descended upon the halls of Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA to see, hear, and learn more about the computers they love. By announcing their departure from this beloved show hosted by IDG, Apple is sending a message to the entire community -- professionals, hobbyists, media, Mac User Groups, and even IDG themselves--that they care nothing for the community who supported them through thick and thin.
My personal opinion is that Apple can do whatever it wants, and that IDG and the Mac community can decide to do whatever they want to. If Apple announces something really insanely great at Macworld Expo '09, would you really stay silent? Let's hear your opinion of the Silent Keynote Campaign.
If you're attending the Macworld Expo keynote on Tuesday, Jan. 6, you can send a message to Apple by remaining silent during the 2009 keynote. While Phil Schiller is on the stage, let there be no applause, no whistling... just utter and complete silence.
My name is Lesa Snider King and I'm mad at Apple.TUAWThe Silent Keynote Campaign originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - No lie: voice stress analysis on iPhone
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
So here's the thing. If the new iPhone app Agile Lie Detector really works, and I'm fairly convinced it does on some level, do you really want to have something this potentially powerful in your pocket? Do you really want an application that could ruin your marriage, destroy your faith in humanity and wreck your respect for authority, and on top of all that, pay $7.99US for it?
Yeah, you do.
I was dying to try this thing out. Truth is, I was skeptical that this app would be anything more than a novelty item.
But I had a serious moral dilemma on my hands. What kind of person interrogates his wife and purposely tries to make her cough up lies just so he can test out an app for a blog post?
Me. So I was off, for 15 minutes, asking her question after question, spanning a wide spectrum, none of which I'll get into. Very little of my prodding resulted in anything more than a blip on the Lie Graph. None of my deep, life-altering questions drew a response that warranted much more than a light yellow reading on the Lie Meter. A few other quick tests with other people did show a wider range of results.
The Agile Lie Detector uses voice stress analysis, a somewhat controversial alternative to the traditional polygraph test, to determine whether or not someone is lying. The bad side of this is that it's not considered as accurate as hooking someone up to a machine that measures more than one physiological response, like breathing and pulse. The good side is -- theoretically anyway -- you don't need to be in the same room as the person you are trying to test. In fact, it's possible to analyze speech through speakers, assuming the quality of those speakers is high enough.
To play with this a bit, I searched for video on YouTube that showed people obviously lying (think Clinton's denial of his canoodling with Monica Lewinsky) or obviously under stress (think Sarah Palin talking to Katie Couric). The results of holding my iPhone up to the speaker as these and other videos played showed, in a most unscientific and probably flawed way, a difference, however slight, versus when people not under stress spoke. The very cool part of the application is that it gives you results in real time, so you can see from moment to moment when someone is getting a bit nervous. Theoretically.
If I were the feds, I wouldn't be shipping off a crate of iPhones (liePhones?) to Gitmo quite yet. This application is filed under the Entertainment category in the App Store for a reason. It shouldn't be relied on in serious situations. You know, like asking your wife if she really, truly thinks you look good in that new jacket of yours. However, if voice stress analysis is your bag, definitely give this app a try. I won't lie though. It's a tad pricey.TUAWNo lie: voice stress analysis on iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Friday Favorite: ColorBurn
Filed under: Cool tools, Friday Favorite
This is a gem for anyone who does design, both for the web and print.
ColorBurn is a Dashboard widget from Firewheel Design that generates a new color palette each day for designers to try out. The suggested colors also have the hexadecimal values for web design. There is an option to change the widget background from black to white to see how the colors look against each. With quirky names for the palettes and the ability to browse back through a 7-day history, it's a very useful little tool.
One of the biggest struggles a designer can have is trying to develop a color palette to use in a design. ColorBurn is that quick flash of inspiration that can get the creative sparks going.TUAWFriday Favorite: ColorBurn originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Digital Camera RAW Compatibility 2.4 update released
Filed under: Software, Software Update
In Apple's ongoing effort to add camera support for RAW formats, it has just released a new update. In update 2.4, Apple added support (for both Aperture 2 and iPhoto '08) for the following Digital Cameras that shoot in RAW format:
- Canon EOS 5D Mark II
- Canon PowerShot G10
- Pentax K2000/K-m
- Leaf AFi-II 6
- Leaf AFi-II 7
- Leaf Aptus-II 6
- Leaf Aptus-II 7
- Leica M8.2
Thanks for the tip, Miguel!TUAWDigital Camera RAW Compatibility 2.4 update released originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - BBC iPlayer finally available for Mac, Linux
Filed under: Software, Video, Internet Tools
In October 2007, the BBC said that the iPlayer would be available for Macs and Linux by the end of the 2007. Two weeks shy of the end of 2008, the BBC finally delivers. Maybe their developers accidentally took a trip in the TARDIS.
Using Adobe AIR technology, the BBC has developed a version of the iPlayer that is compatible with OS X and Linux. The press release states that the player has entered beta as of today and a final release is scheduled for February 2009.
The beta testing of the Mac-compatible iPlayer is being conducted through the BBC iPlayer Labs. The application download itself can be found here.
The beta version of the BBC iPlayer Desktop requires OS 10.4 and above. The site does not indicate if the download is a universal binary. The BBC iPlayer is only available for UK citizens.
Thanks to all those who submitted the tip!TUAWBBC iPlayer finally available for Mac, Linux originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Multi-Touch Trackpad Update for Windows & Vista
Filed under: OS, Software Update, Macbook Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air
Last night, Apple released a Windows update for MacBook machines running Boot Camp. It's not clear yet whether you can or should install this on all MacBook/MacBook Pro models, or just the newest (unibody) versions. If you've been running Windows on these new MacBooks, then you know how fickle the Multi-Touch trackpads are. This update will hopefully help matters, as we've received quite a few tips about trackpad problems in Windows (not to mention the numerous postings on the Apple discussion boards).
Apple tell us that the update "Improves the performance of the Apple Multi-Touch trackpad when running Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista on a Mac computer using Boot Camp."
You can download this update from the Apple Support Downloads website. It is a Windows executable, so you will need to be running Windows to install it. It is available for both Windows XP & Vista.On a side note, the download page for the update shows an... interesting, and previously unknown version of Vista, at least to anyone browsing right now (it will probably be fixed shortly). We can only imagine that "Widows Vista" is coming soon to a computer near you.
Thanks to Ryan, and others who sent this in!TUAWMulti-Touch Trackpad Update for Windows & Vista originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iBreathalyzer is, yes, a breathalyzer for your iPod
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, iPod Family, Retail, Odds and ends, Stocking Stuffers, iPhone
It's late Friday night, you're stepping out of the bar into the cold after a few drinks, and as you head towards the car, you stop, realizing that it might not be the right time to drive. But how can you know for sure? Simple -- you just pull out your iPod. Because the iPod hasn't had enough random things attached to it, there's the iBreath, a breathalyzer that connects to the bottom of your iPod or iPhone and will not only tell you what your BAC is, but transmit your iPod's audio to your FM radio as well.
You've gotta be kidding us. Not only should you never drive after drinking, as even legal levels can be dangerous, but even if you just want to know your BAC you can buy a regular breathalyzer for a lot less than the $80 this one costs, and you don't even need an iPod to connect it to.
But we'll give these guys their credit -- of all the things you can attach to an iPod, this one might be the strangest.TUAWiBreathalyzer is, yes, a breathalyzer for your iPod originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - The Hit List takes aim at OmniFocus and Things
Filed under: Software, Productivity
The Hit List, from the Potion Factory, is a new task management application set to go head-to-head with Things and OmniFocus. We haven't seen a lot of waves in the advanced, visually polished task manager wars lately, but this one is going to storm the gates. I tend to get overexcited about new productivity apps, but after test driving the beta release of The Hit List for a day, I'm convinced it's worthy of all the excitement I can muster. A few of us here at TUAW, in fact, have been trading notes and are in agreement that this one is a serious competitor.
The Hit List combines my favorite aspects of Things with some of the niceties of OmniFocus, and then adds some visual polish and usability tweaks. It works in a single, tabbed window; nice, because I've always been bothered by the floating palettes in OmniFocus. Beyond my personal tastes, though, the interface is beautiful both in aesthetics and simplicity. I can see immediately what each item on the screen means and infer what each button is going to do. For those with advanced needs, The Hit List provides a full-fledged tagging system, filtering and sorting, contexts and projects, notes, links ... the only thing I haven't seen yet is repeating tasks, but the application is still in development. Despite its beta status, though, it's been stable and highly usable.
The system-wide Quick Entry window is as simple and powerful as any on the market, and the tagging and context system is based on keyboard symbols ("/" and "@"), so adding them is easy: you just type them at the end of your task name. The interface is almost 100% keyboard-navigable; tasks can be moved and filed with a few keystrokes, and tags, contexts, start and due dates can be added to a highlighted task with their respective shortcuts.
A projected retail price of $70 places it between Things and Omnifocus on the cost scale. Given the features and ease-of-use it provides, I'll gladly pay in that range. The biggest problem for The Hit List is going to be that most of its target users have probably already shelled out for Things and/or OmniFocus. I think that a test drive will prove pretty convincing for a lot of folks, though.
The Hit List just went into private beta recently, but Andy from the Potion Factory is welcoming new testers. If you have the time to file bug reports and feature requests, head over to Google Groups and sign up for the discussion and get the download. [Google Groups link fixed, sorry!]
TUAWThe Hit List takes aim at OmniFocus and Things originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple tech note responds to 10.5.6 problems
Filed under: Software Update, Troubleshooting, Leopard
Following up on the 10.5.6 upgrade: The most common issue people seemed to have upgrading to Leopard 10.5.6 was that the install would get stuck at 'configuring installation'. It happened to me, and judging by the Apple support boards and others, it was a pretty widespread
bug. We reported the problem Tuesday.
Apple has now responded and acknowledged the issue with a support note. It says that the problem can be caused by getting an update that "was only partially downloaded". Of course, what was not explained was how Apple provided only a partial update, and why and how this got past Apple QA?
For most people, installing the combo update solves the install freeze. Apple is recommending that people use Software Update, so most likely the bad package has been removed from the servers. There are still some nagging issues with Mail, mounting network volumes, Safari, and the other all too usual issues following an OS update.
Of course, for many, the update went just fine.
Thanks to all who wrote in and shared their experiences.
TUAWApple tech note responds to 10.5.6 problems originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: Word Flow
Filed under: Software, iPhone, First Look
I'm always on the lookout for applications to keep me entertained when I have little snatches of time that need filling: Waiting in a long line at the post office or for a movie to start, or being caught out at lunch without a book to read while eating.
Word Flow is an interesting puzzle game that allows you to slide letters around a board to create words. Once your word is ready, tap the beginning and last letter of the word you've created. It's like Boggle with the ability to control where letters go. You have three timed versions you can play: One minute, three minutes and 10 minutes. Three minutes is the sweet spot for me. With the one minute version, you barely have time to string some words together before time is up. With the 10-minute version, I lost interest after about five minutes.
Overall, Word Flow is a fairly decent game, but definitely not my favorite of available word games on the iPhone. The graphic response is not as smooth as other programs, and two versions of the game are either too short or too long.
Word Flow (link opens iTunes) is currently available for $.99USD.TUAWFirst Look: Word Flow originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Review: SimCity for the iPhone
Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, iPod touch
Welcome to my fledgling city of Saillune.
SimCity 3000 was the first computer game I ever bought for myself. Up until that point, I was happy with "borrowing" the games that my brothers bought and playing those. But, after a high school friend showed me SimCity 3000, I wanted it for myself.
SimCity for the iPhone is pretty much a port of SimCity 3000, and the game comes across beautifully. The graphics are amazing and you can't tell the difference between playing the game on the computer or on the iPhone. When I heard that Electronic Arts was bringing SimCity to the iPhone, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I always felt that the port of the game made for handhelds was an inferior version to the computer-based originals. Part of me wasn't quite sold on the iPhone as a gaming device.
SimCity helped me change my mind.
Here's a look at a breakdown of the game, what works and doesn't, and even a neat Easter Egg.Continue reading Review: SimCity for the iPhone
TUAWReview: SimCity for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Could Apple be eyeballing CES? Probably not
Filed under: Macworld, Analysis / Opinion, Other Events
After news of Apple's decision to pull out of Macworld, many tech writers are wondering if Apple isn't considering participation in the Consumer Electronics Show, typically held around the same time as Macworld, in Las Vegas.
Most seem to be asking vague questions about what would happen if Apple decided to attend. Even so, most of the pundit crowd seems to be leaning toward it probably won't happen, but it might. Maybe. Someday. Kind of. If it does happen, they'll claim they called it; If it doesn't they're still right.
As Apple produces more consumer electronics devices (like the iPhone, iPod, and Apple TV), BusinessWeek's Arik Hesseldahl sees a place for Apple at CES. "Could a new re-imagined Stevenote at CES in Las Vegas starting in 2010, become the de-facto headline event at CES and thus push Microsoft's presence out of the limelight? It certainly could."
"It probably won't happen, but it certainly could," he writes. The heat death of the universe probably won't happen tomorrow, too, but it certainly could.
Continue reading Could Apple be eyeballing CES? Probably not
TUAWCould Apple be eyeballing CES? Probably not originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Mac 101: Yes, Intel Macs can be booted from an external USB drive
Filed under: How-tos, Tips and tricks, Odds and ends, Mac 101
More Mac 101, our ongoing series of tips and tidbits for new Mac users.
Update: As the comments point out and Low-End Mac confirms, support for USB booting was present in the Mac OS 9 era with the introduction of dual-channel USB in 1999, available first on the slot-loading iMac and one model of the AGP PowerMac G4; however, your mileage and performance may vary when trying to get these machines to boot Mac OS X from USB devices (as has been previously reported on TUAW). Our apologies for the error!
When I wrote my post Tuesday about booting a Mac off an external USB hard drive, I was surprised how many people followed up to tell me that it wouldn't work, and that I needed a Firewire drive to externally boot a Mac.
While [much] older machines did indeed need Firewire for bootable external media, that is no longer true. Since the release of the Intel Mac computers [and well beforehand -- see update above], and with Mac OS X 10.4.5 or later, you can start up from an installed system on a USB hard disk. Here's the Apple support document that tells you how to do it.
I didn't think it was possible either, and when I bought my MacBook Pro last year, I was wishing I could boot from a USB drive because of the easy availability of inexpensive storage. A little online research revealed the obscure truth. USB booting generally works fine from a bus-powered portable drive as well as a powered USB desktop drive. In my case, I booted up just fine from a portable with no external power supply. Check the support document linked above for more details.
So have at it -- either install a clean version of Leopard or Tiger on the drive, or use your favorite bootable-backup utility to clone your existing install to the USB volume. It's a good thing to know as Apple seems to be determined to bury Firewire on the lower priced laptops it sells.
It is also possible to boot an Intel Mac from a USB flash drive. That is a bit more involved, and there are several methods. One is Das Boot, a free utility from Sub Rosa that allows you to convert original disks from DiskWarrior, Drive Genius, TechTool Pro and others to a flash drive. Let Google be your friend on this. Many people have put their favorite rescue utility on a bootable flash drive to save them from any problems in the field.
Before you ask; no, USB does not support target disk mode -- a sore point for MacBook Air and unibody MacBook owners.
Thanks to Dave and others who wrote in asking about this, and thanks to many readers who wondered about the ability of older PPC Macs to do this as well.
TUAWMac 101: Yes, Intel Macs can be booted from an external USB drive originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone 101: Reboot your iPhone for better gaming
Filed under: How-tos, iPhone, iPhone 101
One of the biggest comments on the recent SimCity announcement for the iPhone, other than being able to locate the SimCity International (link goes to the U.K. iTunes store) version of the game, was complaints that the game was crashing for some people.
This is not a new issue for graphically intense games for the iPhone and one of the solutions for solving this is very easy: Before playing your new game, reboot the iPhone.
Here's how to do it.Update: As has been pointed out in the comments, a normal shutdown/startup process, or "soft reboot," should work fine: simply hold the power button down for 3 seconds and slide to power down. The "hard reboot" described here should only be used if your iPhone isn't responding to touches or the Home button -- it is not intended as regular maintenance. Thanks to all for the feedback.
[If your phone ever becomes completely unresponsive, you may need to do the 'hard reboot process described next -- but remember this is the equivalent of pulling out the power cord on your computer.]
Hold down the Home and the Sleep/Wake buttons until your screen goes black, as shown at right. After a few seconds, you should see a sliding bar for powering off the phone. Ignore it and keep pressing those buttons. After about 20 seconds or so, the screen will go completely black and the silver Apple logo appears.Once your phone goes through the rebooting process, launch your game. You shouldn't have any further problems with it. One word of warning: Rebooting the iPhone does drain your battery somewhat, so if you're pretty low on power you may find yourself unable to use the phone until after you're recharged it.
Why reboot your phone? The iPhone, like a regular computer, uses memory and system resources every time you launch a program. The typical iPhone user utilizes several applications at a time, often hopping back and forth between them. When a program that is heavy on system resources is launched, such as SimCity, if you haven't rebooted in awhile to refresh your iPhone's memory and resources, it could cause the program to crash.
I saw this tip posted on the App Store when I was purchasing Scrabble at the end of November and followed the advice and didn't have a single problem with Scrabble on my 1st generation iPhone. I repeated it with SimCity and, again, I'm not having any issues playing the game.
If that doesn't solve your issues, check out this list of iPhone troubleshooting tips.TUAWiPhone 101: Reboot your iPhone for better gaming originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TUAW goes hands-on with Rolando
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Apple, iPhone, iPod touch
It's no secret that we've been looking forward to Rolando probably more than any other game on the App Store, and now that it's here, we can safely say it doesn't disappoint. From the beginning, Rolando has shown tons of potential as a completely original game that shows off just why mobile game developers should see the iPhone as a dream platform, and creator Simon Oliver has brought that potential to bear in an amazing puzzle/platformer.
There's almost nothing to not like here -- the graphics are colorful and run perfectly, the writing is simple and witty, and the gameplay is not only fun from the beginning, but creatively builds itself over time. Just like any great platformer should, every single level delivers a new way of thinking about the tools you're given, and even when you've conquered the whole game, there are multiple reasons to go back and play again.
TUAW got a copy of the game a few days ago (it's out on the App Store today for the first time since its announcement back in July), and since then we've saved Rolandos aplenty, worked our way through most of Rolandoland, and been charmed endlessly by the App Store's first real, original classic.Continue reading TUAW goes hands-on with Rolando
TUAWTUAW goes hands-on with Rolando originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Tweetie: Twitter client with "oomph"
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look
Yesterday, Dave published an awesome gift guide for the Twitter addict. It wasn't meant to be an all-encompassing list, nonetheless, the omission of Tweetie [iTunes link] -- one of the newest Twitter clients to hit the iPhone -- generated a ton of response via the comments, our inbox and of course, via Twitter. Because Twitter is my crack, I decided to take Tweetie out for a spin. Developer Loren Brichter was even nice enough to get me in on the Tweetie beta so I could take a sneak peek at some of the features coming in future releases.
My initial thoughts are very, very positive; I now know why so many of you were so vocal about your Tweetie love. No sooner did I crown Tweetsville the current champion in the Twitter for iPhone Battle Royale, Tweetie shows up with some serious moves. At this point, I don't even know if I can adequately name a "champion."
Another Twitter client?
As I've said before, Twitter and the iPhone are a perfect combination -- they just go together. That said, Dave makes a solid point: the number of available Twitter clients for the iPhone is getting a tad ridiculous. I have tried almost every Twitter application available for the iPhone/iPod touch (see below) and they can tend to blur together.
And these are just the apps I've purchased or downloaded for free
Twitter's brilliance is in its simplicity. Twitterrific is my favorite desktop Twitter client, in large part because of its commitment to that simplicity. Having said that, Twitterrific for the iPhone is starting to strike me as too simple. I love the interface, I just often want to be able to do more. A simple interface coupled with lots of features is what makes a great mobile Twitter client.
This is where Tweetie really stands out. On the features front, it is pretty similar to what Twitterlator Pro, Tweestville and Twitterfon offer, but its interface is extremely clean and unobscured. In fact, it took me a little while to figure out where some of the more advanced settings for the app are. They are actually in the main "Settings" panel, rather than inline the app itself. That makes sense, and is apparently something Apple recommends, but it's worth noting because otherwise you might miss where some of the features actually are.Continue reading Tweetie: Twitter client with "oomph"
TUAWTweetie: Twitter client with "oomph" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Memento developer offers free holiday greeting card app
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
A while back we told you about Memento, a quick way to send e-cards right from your iPhone. The developer of that application is back at it again with a Holiday card application. Memento Xmas [iTunes link] is a free application that allows you to send holiday-themed greeting cards to your friends and family, just in time for the holidays.
The application acts just like its older brother, Memento, but it is limited to only 4 greeting cards. With each of the greeting cards you have the ability to snap a photo (or use one from your library), and you can also edit the included text.
You can download and try out Memento Xmas from the iTunes App Store. In a pinch, this application could save you from writing out all of those holiday greeting cards (unless you still want to have friends and family).
Thanks, Duncan!TUAWMemento developer offers free holiday greeting card app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Target releases 'Gift Globe' iPhone app
Filed under: Retail, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Target
has decided to releasereleased its own iPhone application a couple of weeks ago, possibly to encourage holiday shopping online. Stepping beyond the basic web application that Walmart released, the Target application [iTunes link] offers an interesting concept -- like an Urbanspoon for gift ideas.
The idea is to generate gift ideas quickly. First, select the gender and age of your recipient. Then shake the iPhone and the snow globe will display a potential gift. Don't like the recommendation? Shake the iPhone again, and another item will be displayed.
You can tap the item to access actions: add it to your favorites, purchase online, or start your selection over. With the favorites list, you have the ability to create a personalized holiday shopping list that you can carry with you. You can mark off items on the list as you purchase them. The application also allows you to find the nearest Target store.
The Target Gift Globe application can be found in the iTunes App Store for free.
TUAWTarget releases 'Gift Globe' iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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