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- TUAW's Daily App: Infinity Blade
Odds are that you already know what Infinity Blade is, and you might already have it on your iOS devices, too. But just in case you don't, we're spotlighting one of the best iOS games of last year, which happens to be available on the App Store right now for the sale price of US$2.99 -- for this game, that's a steal. If you haven't picked up this big-budget example of how experienced developers can do iOS games right, today's your chance. The game's already received one content update, and another big update is coming soon.
Even if you already have Infinity Blade, you can check out Joystiq's fine writeup of how the game was made, straight from the floor of GDC 2011. Chair Entertainment talks about how they had tons of game ideas (from a physics puzzler to a card game -- I'd like to play either of those), but eventually boiled down what worked on a platform like the iPhone to what they came up with in Infinity Blade. It's a great game at a great price, so definitely grab it as quickly as you can.
TUAW's Daily App: Infinity Blade originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Survey from PopCap shows increase in mobile gaming
A new survey from PopCap shows a third of all mobile phone users in the UK and USA have played a game in the past month, and a quarter have played in the past week. Before the introduction of smartphones like the iPhone, game-playing usage hovered around 5 percent. The increase has come due to the much easier availability of games in Apple's App Store, which outsold all similar online stores several times over last year, and the huge popularity of games like Angry Birds.
Exactly 33.6 percent played a game in the past month -- played, not bought, however. 24.6 percent played in the past week, and 19 percent daily. Unfortunately, the survey doesn't break this down between handset models, and it only talks about "Smartphone[s], e.g., iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, BlackBerry or PDA." However, iPhones probably take up a very large portion of gaming users.
43 percent of mobile game players have bought a paid version of a free trial game, and 27 percent paid for additional content. While the average mobile phone gamer bought 2.9 games in 2010 for US$15.70, for smartphone gamers this almost doubles to 5.4 games costing $25.57.
Survey from PopCap shows increase in mobile gaming originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - GDC 2011: The future of Imangi Studios
The husband and wife team of Keith Shepherd and Natalia Luckyanova make up Imangi Studios, the iPhone developer behind line-drawing hit Harbor Master. We've been following the duo for a while now, and we last talked to them at WWDC, when they were pretty far along in development with a game called Max Adventure, a dual-stick shooter with a plucky kid with a laser gun for a hero.
Max Adventure was released last December (and has since been updated), and Imangi tells me at GDC that the launch went well -- mostly. "It was the best launch we've had on our own," says Shepherd, adding that both the ratings and sales numbers were great after the game released in mid-December. "But then...," says Luckyanova, trailing off. Then, it turns out, came the EA sale, filling the App Store charts with 99-cent sales of premium EA titles, and Imangi's carefully crafted Max Adventure got "crushed" in the Christmas rush.
But the best part of the story is what happened next: a little while after Imangi had a blue Christmas, EA called them. The company liked Imangi's games and wanted to talk about a possible publishing deal.
Continue reading GDC 2011: The future of Imangi Studios
GDC 2011: The future of Imangi Studios originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Another Infinity Blade update coming soon
Joystiq reports that Infinity Blade, the hit iOS game running on the Unreal 3 engine, is due for an update "very, very soon" according to Chair co-founder Donald Mustard. Following its release last December, Infinity Blade received a minor update just two weeks later featuring a new enemy and a handful of new items. From what Mustard has said, this upcoming update sounds a bit more ambitious; he said the update "will add a ton of new content to the game and expand on some of the themes and story that you've already started to see."
Chair is intently focused on providing support for Infinity Blade, and Mustard says, "We've decided we're going to give our content away for free." That's very refreshing news, and something I hoped for in our initial Infinity Blade review: more content than the somewhat limited initial scope of the game, at little to no added cost for those who purchased it.
Between Chair's commitment to providing updated content for Infinity Blade, the fact that there isn't a separate and more expensive "HD" version for the iPad, and the game being downright fun to play and gorgeous to look at, US$5.99 for Infinity Blade is looking like a very good deal the more time goes by.
Another Infinity Blade update coming soon originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Oddsmakers make book on the iPad 2 event
Just before every Apple event, we get the word from Tony Harvey and the oddsmakers at Bookmaker.com. This time, they've set the odds on what to expect from the iPad 2. While these guys aren't tech pundits -- they're high stakes online sports bookies -- we thought you'd like to see what they came up with in terms of odds on various features for the upcoming iPad.
In each case on the table (click "read more" to see it), the +/- indicates the return on the wager, while the percentage is the likelihood that response will occur. I'm not a betting man, but I indicated my selection by putting it in green on the table. In all cases, I pretty much agreed with the oddsmakers. I did take exception to two of the items listed -- the "slimmer, lighter, and retina display" because I feel that it will be slimmer and lighter, but won't have a retina display, and the "non-smudge screen & gyroscope" because I don't think it will have a non-smudge screen.
We'll find out for sure tomorrow morning at 10 AM PST. Be sure to join the TUAW team for our metaliveblog of the event.
Note: The numbers displayed here are for entertainment purposes only and do not represent an endorsement by TUAW.com that you bet on any Apple event.
Continue reading Oddsmakers make book on the iPad 2 event
Oddsmakers make book on the iPad 2 event originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iSkin's revo4 Special Edition has a ViSOR -- Answer calls and stay protected
I'll get this right out of the way -- I'm not a real fan of silicone gel cases or anything that covers up my beautiful iPhone 4 screen. On the other hand, I've been extremely fortunate and have not fumbled my phone onto hard surfaces. For those who do like the somewhat sticky feel and cushioned protection provided by silicone cases, iSkin has introduced the new revo4 Special Edition (US$44.99), now with a ViSOR.
Paging Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge To The Bridge
The ViSOR that iSkin has come up with for the revo4 SE is definitely different from the vision prosthetic that was a popular (except with actor LeVar Burton) prop on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
While Geordi's VISOR was a high-tech tool that allowed the blind Enterprise Chief Engineer to see well beyond the usual visual spectrum, the iSkin ViSOR is a snap-on smoked plastic shield with a small window in it. That window sits over the "slide to unlock" area on an iPhone 4 display, and it is made of a material that allows you to answer or unlock the phone while still keeping the screen covered.
The entire ViSOR can be popped off and then attached to the back of the revo4 SE if you want it to stay out of the way. The touch-friendly area responds as advertised to swipes, and answering the phone with the ViSOR attached is a breeze.
Continue reading iSkin's revo4 Special Edition has a ViSOR -- Answer calls and stay protected
iSkin's revo4 Special Edition has a ViSOR -- Answer calls and stay protected originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPad 2: The rumor buzz
As Apple's March 2 iPad announcement draws near, the interwebs are alive with rumors. In no particular order, here's the buzz that we're seeing flick across our in-boxes today.
- Will Apple produce a White iPad? That's what the 9 to 5 Mac blog thinks might happen, based on iPad parts they "acquired" early.
- The Wall Street Journal suggests that the iPad 2 will be more streamlined than its big brother, with a thinner and lighter build. They're also expecting models for both AT&T and Verizon data plans.
- iLounge is predicting both dual-cameras as well as an onboard SD slot. MacRumors has evidence that supports the much anticipated iPad camera scenario.
- If you're looking for a louder iPad, Gizmodo believes the iPad 2 may deliver a larger speaker system along with a more streamlined iPod-styled back face.
- PC Magazine notes that retail channels for the original iPad have begun to dry up, which may indicate an earlier shipping date than the more generally accepted early April timeframe, the anniversary of the original iPad.
- Numerous websites including Cult of Mac are considering the possibility that tomorrow's iPad will be a "disappointing spec bump" with a major redesign happening later this year, perhaps six months down the line. Bringing the iPad into refresh synchrony with the iPod (and maybe the iPhone) could be a valuable change on Apple's part.
- The Business Insider wonders if Apple will introduce a new Social App, perhaps linked to the iPad, and thinks that an iOS 5 announcement is very likely.
What other rumors are you reading about? Let us know in the comments.
iPad 2: The rumor buzz originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Steve Jobs said to be considering attending iPad 2 event
Word on the street is that our own Uncle Steve, currently on medical leave from his post as CEO of Apple, may be planning another public appearance, specifically at the (iPad 2) press event tomorrow. You may remember Medical Leave Steve from such appearances as dinner with the President, and walking on Apple's campus.
What's interesting to me is the possibility raised by Kara Swisher. She has an interesting piece over on AllThingsD about her concerns that Steve showing up will be the real headline from the event, regardless of what we hear about the next generation of iPad. It makes sense he'd want to be there, even just behind the scenes. We've heard tell of meetings in his home about the next generation iThings, so of course, he'd want to show up to see their grand debut. On the other hand, given the health-related scrutiny he's already under, maybe he'll stay away so there's no chance of his appearance on stage being the headline grabber as people wildly speculate about how he's doing.
If he appears on stage, that'll be nice, and I'll be glad to see him since, apparently, my invitation to dinner with Uncle Steve and the President got lost in the mail. If he doesn't walk out in his black mock turtleneck and jeans, I like to think he'll be backstage so that at least he can peek out and watch the event without being a distraction.
Not that it matters much either way; we'll all be glued to the live coverage to learn about the new hotness from Cupertino.
Steve Jobs said to be considering attending iPad 2 event originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Consumer Reports Digital Edition for iPad not recommended
Consumer Reports has kind of a spotty reputation with Apple fans. They've liked most Mac desktops and laptops, but the magazine famously dissed the AT&T iPhone 4 and, just last week, trashed the Verizon iPhone 4 as well.
Back in September of 2010, Consumer Reports put out a helpful, but buggy, free app for the iPhone. They then killed that app so you'd have to buy the $10.00 Consumer Reports Mobile Shopper app from them instead. Now, Consumer Reports has released the Consumer Reports Digital Edition for iPad. This is a free "Preview Edition," and that's what I took a look at today.
First off, this is a big honking download -- 126 MB. The App Store fools you by saying that the size is only 1.1 MB, but that download is just a shell app for downloading the actual content. The content doesn't download in the background, which is another black mark. Do not do this over 3G; if you try to download this thing over a mobile connection, you'll spend a lot of time looking at a slow-moving progress bar.
Continue reading Consumer Reports Digital Edition for iPad not recommended
Consumer Reports Digital Edition for iPad not recommended originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Gogo Inflight Internet app makes flying sign-ins a snap
If you're one of those people who spends way too much time in airplane seats, you've probably been thrilled with Gogo Inflight Internet. The company provides Internet service on all AirTran and Virgin America flights, and has service on some flights on Air Canada, Alaska, American, Delta, United and US Airways flights. They're expanding to more aircraft and airlines in 2011, so being able to send Twitpics of your seatmate or video of dancing flight attendants will become entirely too commonplace.
Gogo wants to make it even easier for you to get online while you're airborne. The free Gogo Inflight Internet app is designed to detect if your flight is equipped with the Gogo network, and if it is (and provided that you've also signed up with the company ahead of the flight), you can get online with a tap of a button.
For those of us who still haven't been on a Wi-Fi equipped aircraft and need to sign up for a Gogo account, there's even a button to let you do that while in the app. Unlike the very stupid or naive person who left a 1-star review of the app in the App Store, griping that the Gogo service was not free, I think most TUAW readers are bright enough to understand that this app simply signs you into the service -- you still have to pay for the privilege, which can run anywhere from US$4.95 for a short flight to $34.95 for a month of unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi. The app works on any iOS device, although it's really designed for an iPhone or iPod touch.
The TUAW crew is used to seeing fearless leader Victor Agreda wandering the virtual newsroom while on Gogo-equipped flights. I'm just waiting for the opportunity to use Gogo's service to do the first inflight episode of TUAW TV Live... after the airplane reached 10,000 feet and the crew has given us the OK to use approved electronic devices, of course.
(Note to Gogo Inflight Internet: the screenshot used above is from your App Store listing. You may want to show that the phone service must be shut off while in flight.)
Gogo Inflight Internet app makes flying sign-ins a snap originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Verizon to drop unlimited iPhone data plans
During the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom conference on Tuesday, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo confirmed that Verizon will be moving to tiered data plans as early as this summer. Speaking about the unlimited data plan available with the iPhone 4, Shammo said, "Everyone knows that isn't long-term. We will move to tiered pricing in the mid-summer time frame." The iPhone 4 was launched with a $30 monthly plan that included unlimited smartphone data. The company previously offered a $15/150 MB plan that appealed to some customers, but this plan was removed when the iPhone 4 launched.
Verizon is hoping tiered plans will grab entry-level customers who want a smartphone, but don't want to pay the high price for cellular data. A low-cost data plan would entice those on the fence to take the plunge and pick up a smartphone. Verizon currently has 25 percent smartphone penetration and hopes to use these low-cost data plans to boost that rate to 50 percent by the end of 2011. Shammo would not confirm the price of these tiered plans as the entry level price point is still under discussion. Last year, AT&T introduced tiered data plans with a $25 / 2 GB plan for smartphone owners. Verizon would most likely equal or beat the value of these AT&T plans.
Verizon to drop unlimited iPhone data plans originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW interviews David Helgason of Unity (part two)
Yesterday we posted part one of my interview with David Helgason, co-founder and CEO of Unity. This time we talk a little more broadly about Unity as a tool and the industry and where Unity fits into the mobile and console spaces. Click read more to see the video.
Continue reading TUAW interviews David Helgason of Unity (part two)
TUAW interviews David Helgason of Unity (part two) originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iWrap offers case-free iPhone protection
The iWrap is a thin, tough film meant to protect your iPhone from nicks, smudges and dings. After a month of use, I can say that it will appeal to a certain group of users, but not everyone. Those after thin, case-free scratch protection should consider the iWrap. Here's my look at iWrap for the iPhone.
In four short years, the iPhone has spawned a huge industry of accessories, apps, whatever this is, and cases -- lots and lots of cases. On one end of the spectrum is the Griffin Survivor, a hardcore badass that dares life to damage your phone. It's bulky, tough and not afraid of a little pocket lint to say the least.
The Survivor's polar opposite is the iWrap.
What you get
This pair of adhesive films from Virtuosity Products clings tenaciously to your precious, sparing it the occasional scratch. While Virtuosity claims that the "iWrap protects your entire device from scratches & falls," I wasn't willing to perform a drop test.
Inside the package, you'll find a cleaning cloth, the iWrap squeegee, instruction pamphlet and the skins themselves.
Continue reading iWrap offers case-free iPhone protection
iWrap offers case-free iPhone protection originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple's mobile partner in China announces its own iPhone rival
The parent company of China Unicom, Apple's sole partner for carrying the iPhone in China, revealed plans on Monday to release its own mobile computing platform. Dubbed "Wophone," the platform will compete directly with Apple's iOS and Google's Android.
Last year, Apple partnered with China Unicom, the nation's second largest mobile carrier, to release the iPhone 4 in China. The exclusive availability of the iPhone on China Unicom's network helped the carrier compete with rivals China Mobile and China Telecom for new customers in China's nascent 3G wireless services market.
In a statement, China Unicom said it hopes Wophone will help the company and its manufacturing partners develop a broader variety of more affordable 3G devices and introduce them to market more quickly. The rapid introduction of new 3G devices could help woo new customers away from market-leading China Mobile who released its own mobile platform, "Ophone," in 2009.
China Mobile leads the wireless market in China with about 589 million total subscribers, but has only 22.6 million customers for its higher revenue 3G services. China Unicom said 15.5 million of its 170 million subscribers were on 3G at the end of January.
Continue reading Apple's mobile partner in China announces its own iPhone rival
Apple's mobile partner in China announces its own iPhone rival originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Former Apple employee convicted of money laundering, wire fraud
Former Apple employee Paul Devine pleaded guilty to 23 charges of wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering following his arrest last August. Devine, a global supply manager, was accused of accepting kickbacks from six Asian suppliers. In return for cash and gifts, he supplied these suppliers with confidential information that gave them an advantage when negotiating lucrative contracts with Apple.
Devine allegedly collected over US$1 million in this kickback scheme and deposited the money in various foreign and US banks using accounts setup in his name and his wife's name. Varying amounts of cash were also stored in safety deposit boxes and hidden in shoe boxes in his house. His activities reportedly cost Apple more than $2.4 million in losses.
Devine is currently on pretrial release and will return to court on June 6 for his sentencing. He faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud and money laundering charges. He also agreed to forfeit $2.28 million in cash and gifts worth $10,000, most of which were obtained as part of his elaborate kickback scheme. When the criminal trial ends, Devine still faces a civil trial filed by Apple.
Former Apple employee convicted of money laundering, wire fraud originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - How Steve Jobs missed knighthood in 2009
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has received a number of accolades over the years, but now The Telegraph is reporting that he missed out on an honor that Bill Gates received way back in 2005 -- an honorary knighthood.
Jobs was apparently nominated for an honorary knighthood in 2009 by a senior Labour Party Minister of Parliament, who felt that "Apple has been the only major global company to create stunning consumer products because it has always taken design as the key component of everything it has produced. No other CEO has consistently shown such a commitment."
The honor was, however, allegedly blocked by then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who had invited Jobs to attend the Labour Party's annual conference. Jobs declined to attend, either because he just didn't have the time to spare or because he didn't wish to be associated with a UK political party. As a result of Jobs snubbing the invitation and destroying a PR coup for the Prime Minister, the honorary knighthood was blocked by Brown.
A spokesperson for Brown, who is no longer the Prime Minister, denied the snub but refused to discuss the incident further with The Telegraph. We can only hope that David Cameron, the current Conservative PM, is presented with a nomination for a similar honor for Jobs, and that this time Steve Jobs kneels before the Queen of England.
[via MacStories, Gizmodo Australia]
How Steve Jobs missed knighthood in 2009 originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - In defence of the SuperDrive
Echoing our own Michael Grothaus last year, MG Siegler hopes Apple drops the DVD drive from future Macs: "Just like the floppy disk before it, the optical disc will fade into irrelevance. And now you see why Apple has never included a Blu-ray drive in any of their machines." Erica Sadun wrote a post last week asking if you agree that the disc is dead, and over 65 percent of respondents said they did.
I agree the days of the optical drive are numbered, but I also think there's more life left in it than Siegler does.
I only own a single Mac -- a mid-2009 15" MacBook Pro. It doesn't have an optical drive because I replaced it with an MCE Optibay housing an SSD, whilst keeping a 500 GB HDD in the normal hard drive bay. This means that whenever I want to use the optical drive, I have to get it out of my desk drawer and plug two USB cables in, so I know I've used it several times in recent weeks. Notably, I still rely on that optical drive for quite a few things.
Continue reading In defence of the SuperDrive
In defence of the SuperDrive originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Mac OS X Lion features hidden tribute to Steve Jobs
Apple's latest version of OS X Lion contains a plethora of new features that are being uncovered piece by piece now that the preview version is in the hands of developers. One little gem recently discovered is a new section in the Finder called "All My Files." This feature helps you organize your files by criteria, such as file type, file creation date and last opened date.
The icon for this new section is an image of a filing drawer stuffed with documents and dividers. Zooming in on the documents within this icon, one can see writing that is taken from notable quotes delivered by Steve Jobs and Apple.
The individual pages contain the following quotes with the text included within the icon highlighted in bold:
Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. -Apple
Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works. -Steve Jobs
What a neat hidden tribute to the man who founded Apple and led them back from the brink of disaster to one of the top tech companies in the world. Click here to view the full version of the icon.
Mac OS X Lion features hidden tribute to Steve Jobs originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - GDC 2011: Sega demos Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing
At the 2011 Game Developers Conference, Sega revealed that it has decided to port its Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing game to the iPhone and iPod touch (no iPad announcement yet, but presumably it's coming). Sega then handed us a demo of the game to try out. It was (surprise?) a pretty standard kart racing game, with the added bonus that it uses official artwork, settings, characters and music from Sega's most popular franchises, from Sonic the Hedgehog to lesser-known classics like Billy Hatcher and Space Channel 5.
This game's been out on other console platforms already, and to be honest, it's missing a little content, with fewer characters and tracks than the other versions. But the gameplay is all there; up to two players on Bluetooth or four players on Wi-Fi can race against each other across 12 tracks using 10 different characters. There are also three arenas to play in, as well as 30 "challenge missions" to play. As you race, you collect "lifetime miles" which unlock items in the game and break open official Game Center achievements and leaderboards.
Continue reading GDC 2011: Sega demos Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing
GDC 2011: Sega demos Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Ask TUAW Video Edition: Syncing Music to iPad
This week, Cynthia has a question about syncing music to an iPad that she shares with her husband, who she claims wants to relive high school. Don't stop believin'!
Remember, you can leave us questions in the comments! The video is on the next page.Continue reading Ask TUAW Video Edition: Syncing Music to iPad
Ask TUAW Video Edition: Syncing Music to iPad originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - GDC 2011: Building the Angry Birds franchise
Rovio's Peter Vesterbacka hosted an entertaining panel on the first day of the 2011 Game Developers Conference here in San Francisco. Rovio's app, Angry Birds, is the runaway hit of Apple's iOS platform, signifying both the potential reach of iOS games and the chance for indie mobile developers to create gigantic hits. Vesterbacka, speaking in his Finnish accent, was almost arrogant at times during his talk, saying that after last year's GDC, Rovio is "a bit more popular now for some reason," and that while people laughed at his predictions of 100 million downloads for the game across all the platforms, Rovio is basically there.
But he was also informative and helpful, and he thanked Apple multiple times during the talk. Rovio's made 52 different mobile games so far, and Vesterbacka credited Apple for changing the tempo around the mobile games market. Before Apple, mobile carriers held all of the power, and carriers both a) wanted a lot of games for their specific platforms, and b) didn't care about the quality. Vesterbacka joked about pitching Angry Birds to a carrier before the App Store: "It's a game where you slingshot birds at three pigs," he said, and then he mimicked the reply to the crowd's laughter: "It's not a poker game? Not interested."
Continue reading GDC 2011: Building the Angry Birds franchise
GDC 2011: Building the Angry Birds franchise originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Random House may join Apple's iBookstore
Random House said in a brief statement Monday that it has agreed to the "agency model for e-book sales," according to AppleInsider. That agency model had been the chief stumbling block keeping Random House books from joining the iBookstore.
In the traditional publishing model, retailers bought books from publishers at a discount price. Then those retailers sold the books to customers at a markup, with that margin being the retailers' profit. In the agency model, e-books are sold to the customer, and the revenue is split between the retailer and the publisher. Because the agency selling the books (in this case, Apple) set the price, Random House had been concerned the model could significantly decrease profits.
Random House's willingness to accept the agency model means we could soon see e-books like Game of Thrones and Public Secrets in the iBookstore.
Random House may join Apple's iBookstore originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Superstash lets you collect and annotate the mobile web
Superstash is an iPad app for collecting and annotating pages on the Web that inspire you. I see it as an app for designers, but it has many applications. The basic idea: snap screenshots of the viewable area of a web page using the in-app browser, add text and drawings on top of them and save the result into your collection. You can organize your shots with tags and/or folders, add notes to the entries and email any screenshot (with annotations) at any time.
It's similar to LittleSnapper, which is great on the desktop, but the mobile version is currently only available on the iPhone. Superstash brings the functionality to the iPad. I've used Moodboard to do similar things on the iPad, but Superstash is focused only on saving web snaps and provides a more precise set of tools for doing so.
The interface is very aesthetically pleasing. It follows a (possibly overplayed) wood desk motif, but does it subtly and with a refreshing attention to detail. There are only a few icons in the toolbar at any time, and their meanings are easy to intuit. There's a URL bar with fairly obvious possibilities, and to the left, you have your basic browser buttons (back, forward, bookmarks) and a lightning bolt that takes you to Superstash's pre-defined collection of inspiring sites. The ready-to-go bookmarks encompass a vast array of topics and make for great free-time browsing.
The tools on the right side of the interface let you snap either the full viewable screen, or use a crop tool to select any part of it. The last button on the right takes you to your folders, where you can search for and navigate to previously collected pages. Once you snap an image, you're immediately taken to the annotation screen, where you can add text bubbles and draw with your finger (or stylus) in any color. It's a far-from-extensive toolset, but it does the job. Once you're done, you can email or save the result. The save dialog includes fields for optional title, rating, tags, notes and destination folder.
I really dig this app, both in concept and execution, but there are a few things I'd love to see. First, some means of syncing bookmarks with my Safari bookmarks. Better yet, let me pull bookmarks from Pinboard and search them; wishful thinking, I know. However it's done, make my web browsing tracks more portable, and I'll be much more comfortable in an in-app browser. Second, some line/arrow tools in the annotation mode would be great. Admittedly, I draw a terrible arrow with just my finger. Also, along those lines, let me pick the size of the eraser head or offer a stepped undo button. Lastly, I'd love to be able to save the entire length of a web page. I know there are probably technical limitations there, but it would be a huge plus.
Superstash is available on the App Store now for an introductory price of
US$3.99the price has dropped to US$2.99 for the time being.Superstash lets you collect and annotate the mobile web originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Evernote 4 iPhone / iPod touch app starts with a clean slate
With most of the iOS app updates that we see here at TUAW, UI changes are minor, and the feature changes are usually evolutionary in nature. That's why we were sort of surprised with the changes in the iPhone / iPod touch client for Evernote that were just announced.
Evernote 4 started with a clean slate and totally changes the way the program looks and operates. The original app was launched on the same day as the App Store itself, making Evernote one of the oldest iPhone apps around. According to a blog post on the Evernote site, which details the changes that were made to the app, the team learned over the years that users wanted several things: faster access, easier creation of notes, better browsing and more ways of finding what they've stored in Evernote.
The new app appears to fit all of these user requirements. To start with, Evernote 4 opens by displaying your notes list in Snippet View (at right); if a note is text-only, you just see the title and a bit of the text. If it contains an image, you'll get a slice of the image to view. Not surprisingly, if it contains a mix of text and images, you'll see the title, some text and a thumbnail image.
Continue reading Evernote 4 iPhone / iPod touch app starts with a clean slate
Evernote 4 iPhone / iPod touch app starts with a clean slate originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW's Daily App: Hot Springs Story
Game Dev Story was one of my favorite iOS games of last year. It offered a full simulation, lots of polish and some well-done game industry satire all in one tidy package. Unfortunately, a few bigger high profile titles eventually overshadowed Game Dev Story by the end of 2010.
But developer Kairosoft is back on the App Store with a new app in North America called Hot Springs Story, and if you missed the fun simulation the first time around, here's your chance to take another look.As you've probably already guessed, the games angle is gone, so you won't be crafting the latest megahit title for the hottest console; instead, you'll be building up a Japanese hot springs-style spa and resort. But the cute graphics and addictive game curve are still there in Hot Springs Story. You build one small thing to make some money, then you re-invest that money as wisely as you can in order to move on to the next big thing. Before you know it, you're running a full-fledged business.
The game's been out in Japan for a little while, and Kairosoft has only just released it on the US App Store with a new English translation. The game's currently on sale at $3.99; if you like the simulation-style gameplay in Game Dev Story (which itself has a free version) and can deal with building a spa instead of a game studio, give Hot Springs Story a look.
TUAW's Daily App: Hot Springs Story originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - GDC 2011: Smule's retrospective
Our friend Dr. Ge Wang of Smule kicked off the 2011 Game Developers Conference with a panel providing a nice overview of all of the company's apps so far. The theme of his talk was basically what we spoke with him about at CES earlier this year: as computers grow from mainframe to personal computer, and now to smartphones and mobile devices, the technology is disappearing into the background, and the connections it creates between us are coming to the forefront.
Lately, he said, "technology is so personal, it's pervasive." That's the realm Smule has tried to enter into with its apps, from the early Sonic Lighter up through Magic Fiddle. "Old computing is about what computers can do," said Dr. Wang, "and new computing is about what people can do with them."
Continue reading GDC 2011: Smule's retrospective
GDC 2011: Smule's retrospective originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Prepaid iPhone in the works? Tim Cook's comments paraphrased and interpreted
Apple's Chief Operating Officer, Tim Cook, recently spoke with Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi about Apple's possible plans to introduce cheaper or prepaid iPhones. While Sacconaghi didn't give any exact quotes, he paraphrased a few of Cook's thoughts.
"Tim stopped short of explicitly stating that Apple would pursue a lower price iPhone," Sacconaghi said, but Cook said Apple is "working hard to 'figure out' the prepaid market." According to Sacconaghi, Cook and Apple want to dispel the impression that Apple's products are "just for the rich." Cook also called China "a classic prepaid market," which certainly indicates Apple is interested in pursuing that market.
The use of prepaid SIM cards for iPhones isn't new in some parts of the world -- such deals are common in a number of countries in Europe -- but you do pay handsomely for the iPhone if you choose this route.
Perhaps rumors about smaller iPhones aren't correct, and instead Apple will find a way to make a same-sized model with cheaper parts. Or perhaps earlier models will be sold on the prepaid market instead of, as in the past, with regular contracts.
[via Engadget]
Prepaid iPhone in the works? Tim Cook's comments paraphrased and interpreted originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple to open new stores in Italy
Apple is planning to open yet another new Apple Store in Italy, this time in Sicily, according to job adverts spotted on the company's website.
Along with job ads for the new store in Bologna, Apple is looking for staff to work in an as-yet unannounced store in Sicily. Local newspapers are speculating that the store will be in the town of Catania, near the volcano Mount Etna, and it will open by the end of summer 2011. Looks like that will put an end to Apple's new store dry spell.
[via MacStories]
Apple to open new stores in Italy originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Play PlayStation 3 games on any iOS device with hack
The group of hackers and developers known as pandaelf found themselves with a PlayStation 3, an iOS device and some time on their hands. With a bit of ingenuity, they figured out a way to play their PS3 games on their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The setup is slightly complex and requires you to attach a capture device as well as an input converter with a USB mouse and keyboard to the PS3. You also need a PC to serve as the conduit between the game console and your portable Apple device.
The capture device sends video from the PS3 to a nearby PC, and the keyboard/mouse converter sends and receives button presses. The iOS device then connects to the computer using a custom build of everyAir, a remote desktop application. Basically, the PS3 sends its info to the PC, which processes the incoming stream and sends it to your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch via everyAir. This communication is bi-directional, so the information flows both ways.
Currently, this custom build of everyAir is not available to the public, so the average iOS owner won't be able to do anything with this setup quite yet. While you wait for this build to become available, you can check out a video of the system in action below.
[Via Macstories]
Continue reading Play PlayStation 3 games on any iOS device with hack
Play PlayStation 3 games on any iOS device with hack originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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