PhoneDog.com - The latest about Cell Phone Apps

ARTICLE: Verizon Exclusive: Mobile Magic App

11/12/2009 1:40:00 PM

I remember as a kid standing in line for at least an hour and half, so excited for my turn to ride Space Mountain. Even though the ride was only about two minutes long, it was always worth the wait. Well times have changed, and Verizon Wireless has just given their customers an advantage when it comes to visiting a Walt Disney Resort.

Announced today, the Mobile Magic application will improve your visit to Disney World or Disneyland with great features such as attraction and restaurant locations, daily event notifications, and my favorite, updated attraction wait times. So before your next visit to hang out with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and the rest of the gang, be sure to have the right Verizon Wireless device loaded with the Mobile Magic application.

Complete details included below in Verizon's press release.

MOBILE MAGIC APPLICATION TRANSFORMS VERIZON WIRELESS PHONES INTO ELECTRONIC TOUR GUIDES TO NAVIGATE DISNEY PARKS

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and BURBANK, Calif. – Imagine having a personal tour guide to lead the way around the vacation magic of Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Now imagine that tour guide is in the palm of your hand and able to point you to a visit with a Disney princess or directly to a Fantasyland attraction.

Starting today, Verizon Wireless customers have exclusive access to Mobile Magic, the first Disney-developed mobile application that enables them to easily navigate Disney parks on both coasts, providing helpful and timely information. With either a swipe of their fingers or the touch of a few keys, guests can access an array of park features on their Verizon Wireless phones, including:

Updated attraction wait times and FASTPASS return times for the park they are in
Locations of their favorite attractions, characters and restaurants, with GPS-enabled maps
Restaurants for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks
Tips on what’s happening in the parks
Trivia games to play against other parks guests

New content will continue to be added to the Mobile Magic application as the attractions and opportunities at the Disney parks and resorts continue to evolve.

Exclusive to Verizon Wireless customers, Mobile Magic is available for download and purchase for $9.99 for a 180-day subscription*. Customers can find the application in the Media Center/Get It Now® under the Travel and Navigation category. Verizon Wireless customers can also text MAGIC to 2777 to purchase the application on a wide variety of feature phones. Download and message charges may apply. Airtime or megabyte data charges may apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications.

Mobile Magic, marking a first in both the travel and mobile industries, is the outgrowth of a new multi-year relationship between Disney Parks and Verizon Wireless aimed at enhancing the park experience. Verizon Wireless continues to invest in its nationwide wireless network, and the relationship with Disney means Verizon Wireless users will benefit from further enhancements to the Verizon Wireless network in the parks.

Guests are currently using Verizon Wireless’ technology with Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, an ultra-interactive attraction at Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort.

Guests who are not Verizon Wireless customers can access select information, such as park hours, attraction information, entertainment schedules and dining information, through the new m.disneyworld.com and m.disneyland.com mobile Web sites with their browser-enabled phones.

*Message and data rates may apply. Coverage not available everywhere. Availability subject to handset limitations. If you’re under 18, get your parent’s permission first. Valid theme park admission required.

ARTICLE: Biggest iPhone App Store FAIL yet: Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” was approved

11/9/2009 5:01:00 PM

Dear App Store: What the heck are you doing? You routinely delay or reject practical, interesting candidates, but allow passage for fart programs, cheesy joke apps, and other equally tasteless entries. You even recently denied an iPhone guide for having the audacity to include the word “iPhone” in the title. And yet, you allow Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” into the store?

To be fair, the ebook — which was in Spanish and titled “Mi Lucha” — has since been yanked. But the big question is how did it get in there to begin with? As Tech Crunch points out, Apple denied the Someecards app partially because it poked fun of Hitler, among others. (The official line is that it “contains objectionable content and content that ridicules public figures.”) Wait, so making fun of Hitler is not okay, but putting the Nazi dictator’s book on the virtual shelves is just fine? If this isn’t considered “objectionable content” then what is?

I heard the argument that maybe the confusion was due to its Spanish language translation. Sorry, I don’t buy it. Even if a huge corporation like Apple wasn’t able to hire translators or multilingual evaluators, the big giant swastika icon should’ve given it away.

Apparently it didn’t. Not only did the anti-semitic tome get approved, but — get this — it was apparently considered fine family fare: Some genius in the Approvals Dept tagged it for ages 9+.

Just for the record, I’m not into censorship. I do believe books should be widely available, and disgusting or no, this an historical work. So I don’t want to engage in a censorship debate or the controversial book’s questionable literary merits. I am, however, expressing my endless befuddlement by the App Store’s lack of logic in approving apps: Get it together, Apple. This was an epic, epic FAIL.

Via: TechCrunch, TheNextWeb, Edible Apple

ARTICLE: Mini-Review: Tweetie 2 for iPhone

11/5/2009 1:30:00 PM

If you’re addicted to Twitter like @CarlosGraves is, and you are sick of iPhone apps that get laggy and drain your battery, then look no further! Tweetie 2 (or 2.0) has arrived! Twitter is my main social network, so naturally I want an application that will be smooth, sexy, and most importantly – reliable.

If you use the original Tweetie 1x and want to upgrade but notice that it costs $2.99 to upgrade (yes, even if you bought Tweetie 1), this might change your mind. Because of this, you might ask, “What’s so different in Tweetie 2 that I have to pay for it again?” Well surprisingly, there are a lot of new features packed into Tweetie 2. The most notable is the revamped UI (user interface). If you use the Mac desktop version of Tweetie, you’ll likely find Tweetie 2’s look to be a combination of that and iPhone Tweetie 1.

At the bottom of the new UI, you have the usual tabs (left to right) – Friends, Replies, Direct Messages, Search/Trends, and More. In the “More” tab, you have – My Profile, Favorites, Go to User, and Drafts (A new feature in Tweetie 2). Now to get more in depth with some of the new features...

The main goal with Tweetie 2 was to make it easy to use, but also very stylish. For example, the refresh system - To refresh, all you have to do is pull down on your current list of tweets and you will see a message at the top that says “Release to Refresh”. This is one of the more obvious changes in Tweetie 2. Another key feature that I really love is the tab notifications. Every time Tweetie 2 refreshes, the tab with new tweets or messages gets a little glow underneath it. I like this a lot better than a system like Echofon’s (formerly Twitterfon), which gives you a numerical tweet-count.

Have you ever seen a tweet you liked in your twitter stream, but forgot who it was from? Well now you can find out with ease! Twitter 2 introduces a search bar at the top of your friend stream so you can search for those amazing tweets even if you don’t remember who crafted them.

But my absolute favorite new feature in Tweetie 2 is the full landscape support – and when I say full landscape, I mean FULL landscape! Every screen in the app can be auto-rotated into landscape mode, which is perfect for people who are horrible at typing in portrait mode (Editor’s Note: Like Noah). Another cool must-have feature in Tweetie 2 is the ability to edit your twitter profile. Tap into the My Profile section, and you have the ability to change everything about your profile, even your picture!

Like I said before, this new and refurbished app will cost you $2.99 in the App Store – but it’s a very worthy buy in my opinion.

ARTICLE: T-Mobile to offer carrier billing in the Android Market

11/4/2009 4:40:00 PM

In a keynote today at Open Mobile Summit in San Francisco, T-Mobile Chief Technology Office Cole Brodman reaffirmed the carrier's commitment to the Android platform, noting that the company plans to offer an official T-Mobile channel within the Android Market by Thanksgiving. More importantly, Brodman went on to say that the carrier would offer direct billing from the Android Market, meaning that users will no longer have to pay using a credit card. Though no ETA has been established for carrier billing, the T-Mobile channel will be live in the Android Market by Thanksgiving.

By simplifying the manner required to obtain new applications for your phone, I see this working out in T-Mobile's favor. For me, the ability to charge things to my monthly bill (and forget about them for a month) makes it easy to spend more money. What are your thoughts?

Via: PhoneScoop

ARTICLE: App Store rejects Macworld iPhone Superguide (because the word “iPhone” is in the title?)

11/3/2009 7:07:00 PM

Macworld’s Editor-in-Chief Jason Snell has just been rebuffed by the App Store. According to his Twitter feed, Snell’s reference guide to the Apple handset has been rejected for — get this — actually having the word “iPhone” in the title. Was it to avoid confusion with Apple’s own onboard apps or other functions (none of which actually include the phone name)? Or was he just snubbed? After all, NYT’s David Pogue got his book, iPhone: The Missing Manual, approved.

Who knows? I've stopped trying to apply any sort of logic to the App Store approvals process.

Via: EngadgetMobile

ARTICLE: App: Elertify sends BlackBerry e-mails, text messages, and phone calls to desktop

10/31/2009 3:45:00 PM

I have seven e-mail accounts synced to my BlackBerry, and I'm always getting e-mails from random companies that have my address(es) on distribution lists. Obviously, e-mail is the primary communications tool for the industry that I work in, so I have to check my device regularly during the work day. There's nothing more irritating than when I'm expecting an e-mail from a colleague, only to find out that it's Chemistry.com (don't ask, it was a family joke earlier in the year) reminding me that my membership is (yet again) about to expire.

For those with similar issues, Elertify could be the best tool since sliced bread. A PC-based software program, it alerts you of calls, e-mails, and text messages in an attempt to reduce the number of times you check your device throughout the day. What's more, the software has the capability to translate the phone call/message for you. Elertify is designed for those that work closely to their computers, as it requires the USB cable to be connected for the program to work properly.

Elertify works on BlackBerry OS 4.2.1 or greater, and requires Windows 7, Vista, or XP. BlackBerry Desktop Manager must be installed. Regularly $5.99, it can be had for $4.99 until November 15th. If I had a PC (or if I had a dual boot solution), I would try it myself. For those that do purchase it, let me know what you think!

Via: CrackBerry

VIDEO: iPhone app: Jibbigo Speech Translator

10/30/2009 8:50:00 PM

As a tot watching The Last Starfighter, I thought that the language translation contraption in the movie was way cool. When I was studying abroad in Latin America (and schlogging my way through Spanish), I really could’ve used something like that. Too bad Jibbigo didn’t exist back then. But it does today.

The iPhone app costs a whopping $25, but judging from this demo, it looks like money well spent. Jibbigo translates English to Spanish and back again, all by voice. Although it doesn’t include a comprehensive dictionary/vocabulary yet, it seems like a must-have tool for travelers (most of its translations so far are about travel-related topics).For more info, check out Jibbigo’s site.

ARTICLE: iPhone Game: Settlers of Catan has come to the App Store

10/28/2009 6:17:00 PM

Greedy resource mongers of the world, take note: Your favorite way to waste time is now on the iPhone.

Settlers of Catan now comes as an app called Catan — The First Island. The decidedly un-techy, but addictive board game (which pits players against each other to build cities, roads and armies) went through a design overhaul to fit gameplay from a large board onto — well, the iPhone.

Apart from a few criticisms, including those that cover the UI (the colors are hard for some players to distinguish) and a lag in speed, most users generally consider it a decent game app that’s truer to the original than could’ve previously been imagined. But there is one giant hole: Remote play. The app doesn’t have Wifi or Bluetooth functionality. For a game that relies on multiplayer interaction, this is a glaring omission. Instead, friends compete by passing the handset around.

On the plus side, the app does offer single player mode, so no need to wait for other people. Individual users can go against colorful virtual players, to keep those resource-hoarding skills nice and sharp. And since it’s a v1, that means future updates could bring a host of other features, like more game scenarios and maybe even that pesky Wifi/Bluetooth feature.

Catan is also available as an online game, and a scaled-back version exists for feature phones, but iPhone users can pick up Catan – The First Island for $4.99 via iTunes.

ARTICLE: iPhone: App Store has approved 100K plus entries

10/27/2009 5:47:00 PM

According to the latest tallies, Apple's App Store has approved a finger-numbing, phone-clogging, mind-melting 100,000+ apps for the iPhone/iPod Touch.

AppShopper, a third-party metrics site, pegs the actual approval figure at 101,561 (with 92,872 currently available in the store). AppShopper’s competitor, Mobclix, counters that the number of apps released in the store is actually 103,295.

Now settle down, boys. There’s still plenty of analytics to be done here — like say counting up how big a chunk of that mountain is comprised of fart apps, stand-alone ebooks and programs regurgitating online info. Basically, I’d love to know how many of those programs are actually unique and worthwhile as individual apps. My guess is, it’s nowhere near 100,000.

[via Phone Arena]

ARTICLE: App Thursday: The Weather Channel on webOS; USPS launches mobile website

10/22/2009 4:30:00 PM

Two new shortcuts to talk about today - the new USPS Mobile, and The Weather Channel application for webOS. Realizing the predominance of internet use on today's wireless devices, the USPS has launched a mobile version of their website. Found at m.usps.com, you can track your packages, find various post office locations, locate a ZIP code, find cities based on their respective ZIP codes, and learn more about USPS. What's more, rumors point to a potential BlackBerry and iPhone app in the future, complete with GPS features.

On the webOS front, The Weather Channel has launched their popular application already found on the iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android platforms. Available in the App Catalog, it's offered in three languages and six countries.

Some of the features include:

TWC's current conditions, hourly, 36-hour and 10-day forecasts
GPS pinpoints the user's location for accurate weather reporting
Severe alert indicator turns red when severe weather, storm watch, and tropical alerts are detected
Customizable maps
Store locations for future use

For more information on The Weather Channel's application, visit the App Store from your webOS-enabled device, or visit www.weather.com/mobile.

Source: IntoMobile

ARTICLE: iPhone game: Rock Band for iPhone

10/20/2009 2:24:00 PM

If you’re a Rock Band virtuoso with an iPhone, you might be jazzed about Electronic Arts’ ambitious new app. While not a perfect game, Rock Band for iPhone does offer fans of the original the familiar graphics and popular rock songs they’d expect from the mobile version.

As colored “notes” or rectangles zip down the screen in time to the music, players hit the corresponding colored inputs when they land at the bottom. This mixture of graphics and audio seems like a natural fit for the iPhone. (And it is — there have been a number of similar iPhone game apps, the most popular of which may be Tap Tap Revenge 3.) Rock Band takes advantage of the handset’s display with its colorful interface and animations, the tracks are MP3 quality tunes, and the in-app music store makes for easy buying of additional songs (2 for $1). BlueTooth multi-player capability also allows users to rock out with friends to earn unison points, and they can even save each other, just like the console version.

The major difference is obviously the inputs. Instead of using plastic music instruments that mimic the rocker experience, mobile players obviously can only tap on the screen. And the gameplay is similar, regardless of band member — lead guitar, bass payer, drummer or even singer. So iPhone users take note: There won’t be any warbling into the handset’s mic.

Unless you have great eyesight (I don’t), those skinny little on-screen rectangles are tough to distinguish against the background graphics. And playing measures that require multiple notes/chords feels way more awkward on a small display than on a big plastic stratocaster. But my difficulty didn’t really lie in the game levels, just the interface. The nimble-fingered with 20/20 vision could find themselves longing for harder challenges.

But maybe it’s unfair to compare a mobile phone game to its full-featured predecessor. Comparing apples to apples, the Tap Tap Revenge 3 iPhone app has an easier interface (with glowing, hard-to-miss dots for notes) and features like chat, friending, and direct messages. TTR’s store offers a bigger, more diverse selection of songs for purchase, including rock, hip hop, dance music, as well as cover songs and other tunes that many have never heard of before. But current glitches make buying and downloading songs an almost painful experience.

Rock Band’s store isn’t plagued by these difficulties, but its inventory is kind of meager (with something like 20 songs). Hopefully, that will improve over time, but for now, the catalog — which features music by original artists — skews to the rock and alt-rock crowd, including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Blink-182 and more. So if you’re not a fan of this genre, you probably won’t love this selection. What I sorely missed in the mobile app is the ability to dress the musicians or give the band a cool name. But hopefully, if enough users request this, it could be added in a future revision.

Even so, if you’re a Rock Band loyalist, there may be enough here for you to justify the initial $9.99 investment. Budget-conscious gamers, however, may want to wait for a later, more refined version with more social features, a fleshed-out store and more advanced/expert levels.

To learn more, hit up the info page on Electronic Arts’ site, or click here to go to the App Store.

ARTICLE: Thursday News Roundup: HTC Pure for a penny; Motorola Droid picture leaked

10/15/2009 6:40:00 PM

Cameraless BlackBerry Bold launching on Friday, October 16th
Looking for a new BlackBerry, but don't want to wait for the Bold 9700 to launch? White BlackBerry Bold 9000 doesn't tickle your fancy? Need a cameraless device for work? Look no further than the BlackBerry Bold cameraless version, coming this Friday to an AT&T store near you. Feature-wise, it's exactly the same as the original Bold, but without the 2.0-megapixel camera. My guess is that stores won't carry a huge stock of the cameraless model, so purchasing online or via telesales might be your best bet. Via IntoMobile

HTC Pure on sale for a penny at Amazon.com
Despite it being fresh out of the gate, Amazon is taking no time in marking down the HTC Pure Windows Phone. Priced at $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate on AT&T's website, Amazon is taking it to a whole new level by offering it for $0.01. Of course, a new two-year agreement is required, so family plans and contract upgrades don't apply. Via IntoMobile

Clear picture of the Motorola Droid/Sholes comes to light
Courtesy of BGR, we have the first clear picture of the Motorola "Sholes," now referred to as Droid. While we wait for more pictures to come to light, the shot above tells us that the device will be running Android 2.0, rumored to be a marked improvement over today's builds. Here's to the hope of a launch before the end of the year! Via Boy Genius (Twitter)

Air Canada and The Weather Channel applications available for BlackBerry
If you're flying on Air Canada, need to check the weather, and own a BlackBerry, you're in luck. Fresh off of a similar announcement for the iPhone, Air Canada has launched an application for the BlackBerry. Checking in, boarding, obtaining flight information, and checking flight announcements is easier than ever, and thanks to the company's electronic boarding pass program, paper copies could become a thing of the past.

Separately, The Weather Channel has launched a free (but ad-supported) version of their application for BlackBerry. Current conditions, 36-hour forecasts, 10-day forecasts, radar maps - it's all there. Plus, with a built-in location tracker, the information is about as precise as it gets.

Download The Weather Channel application here (directly from your BlackBerry):

Weather Channel for the BlackBerry Curve, Bold and Tour: here
Weather Channel for the Storm: here

Source: IntoMobile

ARTICLE: iPhone app: News junkies, get your fix with CNN

9/30/2009 9:55:00 PM

Before I start in on CNN’s new iPhone app, CNN Mobile, let me just say two things about it: No, it’s not free ($2), and yes, it’s worth paying for.

Now that this is out of the way, let me explain.

CNN’s foray into mobile phone apps — freshly launched this week — features live newscasts, video-on-demand, good design and an easy-to-use interface. There are even push notifications let you know when live newscasts are available, and you can watch breaking news over Wifi, 3G or EDGE. And it still offers text and photo content, so it’s not sacrificing features that users may still want.

There’s a headline section, where you can go through text stories and photos, and each story shows a short summary and pic. A short swipe down, and you’ve got the whole article. In landscape, news browsing becomes sweet, thanks to CoverFlow. And for those moments when you just can’t believe what you saw, you can send a news item to a friend via Twitter, Facebook, email, or text message.

There’s also a save-for-offline reading feature, customized weather info and keyword searching. For budding reporters, there’s also direct upload to CNN’s iReports for pics (iPhone 3G) and vids (3G S).

If I seem kind of enthusiastic about CNN Mobile — well, I am. Breaking stories. Live newscasts. These words make me giddy. Generally, mobile phone software labelled “TV” or “news” come up short for me, since they just usually deliver short snippets of old podcasts, vidcasts or text-driven articles. But live newscasts for breaking stories, not to mention on-demand vids for recent news — well, this is what I’ve been waiting for.

Now I’m not saying this is a perfect app. When you pay two dollars (which is a lot in the App Store), you don’t expect ads. But let’s face it: Selling this software isn’t really going to make or break CNN. Like any television network, it’s supported by advertising, so people accessing CNN on their handsets will be subject to them, just like their TV-watching, cable-paying counterparts. But the good news is that mobile phone users won’t be bombarded with them. There are no commercials interrupting the segments, just still ads that pop up while the video loads.

So, if you can put up with the occasional promo, then I think this app is a winner. So much so that I wonder why it took so long for CNN to put this out. NPR, Reuters, Time, Associated Press, New York Times and Financial Times have been all over the iPhone, and with free apps at that. Well, no matter. It is worth the wait and expense. CNN Mobile beats the pants off the competition. And isn’t that what the world of news reporting is about anyway?

To get CNN Mobile, click here to go to the App Store page. (U.S. only, for now).

[via Macworld]

ARTICLE: iPhones & Cars II: Zipcar app

9/29/2009 1:52:00 PM

The highly anticipated Zipcar app for the iPhone and iPod Touch has just launched. (If you’re an urban dweller sans automobile who doesn’t know about Zipcar… Well, you should. Nothing beats renting a car for just an hour when that’s all you need.)

It was already easy to find and book a Zipcar car online, but with this app the task becomes stupid simple. There’s a map view and location-based search for closest Zipcar locations; sort by time availability, type and model; and a big green click-to-reserve button. Users can also see upcoming reservations or cancel a booking using the app.

Most app developers would’ve stopped there, but this program also sports some other nifty features.

Lost the car in the garage? Launch the app to honk the horn. And once the vehicle’s been activated with the RFID Zipcard, the app can also lock and unlock it remotely. By far, the most useful function is the ability to extend a reservation right from the app. If no one’s booked a slot immediately after, users can add time to their trip while on the go.

There is one annoying thing with the app, though: When searching for a car, it’s not possible to change the desired time slot except at the beginning of the search. This is a pain in the neck, especially when “no availability” means going back and adjusting the time slot for better results. But, the developer is aware of this problem (and has even mentioned it on the App Store page under the “Coming Soon” section), so this hassle will probably get resolved in a future update.

Understandably, you need to be a Zipcar member to take its vehicles out for a spin. But the company has improved this process too. It used to require paperwork filled out and mailed, but now there's an online form that makes the application process faster and easier.

While the Zipcar service may not be free (there are tiered plans based on usage), the Zipcar app costs nothing. It just requires iPhone OS 3.0 and either an iPhone or iPod Touch with a network connection.

Interested? Click here to come and get it.

[via TUAW]

(Thanks, Swifty!)

ARTICLE: iPhones & Cars I: TomTom car kit

9/29/2009 12:52:00 PM

Pricing info is finally available for the TomTom Car Kit for the iPhone. Sold separately from the GPS/navigational iPhone app, the package will be available in October for $119.95 and be compatible with the iPhone 2G, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.

No details on precisely what is included, but TomTom’s promo video suggests that it will at least feature an adjustable, mounted cradle with charger, GPS, microphone (for hands-free calling), audio jack (for music over the car’s stereo) and speaker (for voice nav and phone calls).

For more info, check out the previous post on the TomTom app, the company’s website or check out the promo vid here.

[via Engadget]

ARTICLE: iPhone apps: Find a Starbucks, pay for lattes with your cell phone

9/28/2009 12:07:00 PM

National coffee peddler Starbucks has officially gotten in the mobile phone game now, with two free iPhone apps that let caffeine junkies do everything from finding the nearest location to making purchases with their cell phones.

myStarbucks app
myStarbucks offers a variety of fun and handy features for fans of the brand. They can save and share favorite Starbucks drinks with friends, look up recipes and, in an indecisive moment, use the flavor selector to narrow down choices by desired flavors, like earthy, balanced or nutty. Users can also look up nutritional info and calorie counts of their drinks of choice. I find that a little baffling, though, because they’re not exactly great for business. (Let’s face it: If you knew exactly what went into those grande caramel macchiatos, would you still order them?)

But the star of the show is the store locator. There’s nothing worse than needing a caffeine fix, and not knowing where to go. Better yet, specific amenities are searchable, which makes finding one with a drive-thru or changing station easy to find.

To get this app, click here to go to the App Store page.

Starbucks Card Mobile app
Starbucks Card Mobile is like a digital version of the plastic gift or pre-paid cards. Patrons can use their phones to look up card balances, add more money to their accounts and, best of all, actually pay for store transactions. Just flash the onscreen barcode, and the barrista scans it to debit the amount from the card account.

Sounds great, but there’s a downside: Although the app is available everywhere, the pre-paid card function only works in a few places for now. It’s on a limited test run in Seattle and the Silicon Valley (CA) area, including Cupertino, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and San Jose. (Hmmm. I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple rushed this through approval, just so its Cupertino-based office jockeys could get juiced in a hurry. But hey, that’s only conjecture…) Click here to grab the app.

Forget the wallet, take the cell phone
I’m not sure why these apps weren’t combined into one awesome program or, for that matter, why it took so long for the coffee purveyor to come out with a mobile phone app. Regardless, these two new entries offer some handy functionality for Starbucks fans. And, it’s just one more step on the road to cell phones replacing wallets.

Many technologists think this is inevitable, and I tend to agree. In my own life, slowly but surely, I’m relying on the phone more and the wallet less. For example, the CardStar app has replaced most of my loyalty cards. It displays UPC barcodes that work with scanners about 80% of the time (at least for me). Not perfect, but not bad. Starbucks and other apps are using 2D barcodes, which some think offers better accuracy.

Airlines have also started looking into mobile phone–displayed barcodes. They’re experimenting with them for use as boarding passes.

Pay-by-phone may be the wave of the future at home here, but it’s already a reality in Japan. Instead of bar codes, though, the predominate technology is near-field transmitters, which send signals to terminals 4 inches away. You just wave your phone at a receiver to pay for things.

That may be my dream scenario. Imagine future versions of Starbucks and other apps allowing pre-orders, combined with a wave-and-go payment process. Long lines would become a thing of the past.

[via NYT’s Gadgetwise blog]

CORRECTION: The BlackBerry app was mentioned in error. While there are Starbucks-themed wallpapers, and even a third-party Android app, there is no BlackBerry app that I know of that offers the same functionality as the iPhone app above. The post above has been edited to reflect that.

Sorry if I got your hopes up. But you know, Starbucks ought to take note in the interest and launch one. Apparently, from comments at Crackberry.com and other places, BB users seem to be quite the Starbucks fans.

ARTICLE: Keepin’ it safe: iZup and other apps discourage distracted driving

9/27/2009 9:55:00 PM

There’s a new app in town, and its mission is to save lives.

By now, you’d have to live under a rock not to know that texting and driving is dangerous. According to estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 80 percent of all accidents are caused by driver inattention, much of it being increasingly attributed to mobile phones.

iZup, a take on the phrase “eyes up,” is a new app and service that aims to reduce those numbers. Activating when phones sense a speed of over 10 miles per hour, the program sends calls to voicemail and puts texts on hold until the vehicle has stopped. The only communication permitted is for emergency only, for calls to parents or 911.

Slated for release on October 15, iZup costs $4.95 per month (or $49.95/year) for one handset, and Family plans covering 3 or more people are available for $5.95 monthly (or $59.95/year). The website doesn’t appear to be ready, so if you want more info, you can follow iZup on Twitter here.

The one thing’s that’s unclear about this and other services is how (or if) the app distinguishes whether the user is a driver or passenger. This is a challenging snafu that some other programs have unique workarounds for, including:

Key2SafeDriving, which features a hardware and software component. There’s a Bluetooth device attached to a car key, which opens up so the key can be used. The device communicates with a user’s phone, activating the service. Calls can then be redirected to voice mail, and texts return an autoresponder stating the phone’s user is driving.

DriveAssist. This service operates on a network level to reroute calls and texts when it thinks the user is driving (based on handset data from accelerometers, wireless baseband data, Bluetooth, WiMax, WiFi and GPS). It offers an override feature for passengers whose phones get errantly activated.

ZoomSafer, a call/text redirection utility with autoresponders when the handset is in motion (faster than 10 mph). It doesn’t completely disable the phone, but emits an alert sound when messages from designated priority contacts arrive. At the push of a button, it reads them out loud. It’s in beta for BlackBerries, but various services are being readied for use across different platforms, including non smartphones.

DriveSafe.ly also reads texts and emails. But it’s different from ZoomSafer in that it’s not limited to three contacts. And its push-button activation works prior to driving (not during). I like this option over the others that disable a phone completely, because if there’s an important message, drivers will know and have the option of pulling over to respond. But parents should note that this relies on the driver’s discretion for activation, so those looking to monitor (or restrict) your kids’ phone usage behind the wheel may need to look elsewhere.

Mobivox may not necessarily be focused on safe driving, but it’s still worth considering. Coupled with a hands-free device, the speech-to-text technology lets drivers compose texts and emails while keeping hands firmly on the wheel. (Otherwise, it requires holding the handset up to the face — which sort of defeats the purpose.) Though many people consider any kind of phone activity a distraction while driving (and I can’t say I disagree), this at least this offers an alternative to fumbling with keypads.

If you’ve gotten this far, then chances are, you recognize the serious risk of driving and texting. But even if you don’t, you may just want to keep from getting ticketed or fined for breaking the law. That’s where things get confusing. Some states single out certain types of phone behaviors, while others outlaw all mobile devices behind the wheel, but only for certain type of drivers.

The Governor’s Highway Safety Association created a chart that outlines the latest legislation, broken down by state, as of September 2009. Click here to find out the scoop on what's legal in your state (or a well-traveled neighboring one).

ARTICLE: Motorola CLIQ shipping with a plethora of pre-loaded applications

9/24/2009 3:15:00 PM

Destined to be one of the most popular handsets of the holiday season, the Motorola CLIQ is the first Android handset that really appeals to me. It looks relatively professional for an Android handset, and marks Motorola's first attempt at a turnaround. Suprisingly, there seems to be a slew of pre-loaded applications on the CLIQ, which were found at the Motorola website. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the page to resize properly, so I've listed them below:

Android Features

Android Market
Browser
Calculator
Music
Settings
Voice Dialer

Business and Professional

QuickOffice

Carrier Features and Services

Telenav Navigator

Communications

Yahoo Mail

Entertainment

Amazon MP3 Store
Image & Video Gallery
Imeem
LastFM
PhotoBucket
Picasa
Shazamid

Google Services

Google Search and Search By Voice
Google Quick Search Box
Google Maps with Street View
YouTube
Gmail
Google Talk
Google Calendar

Lifestyle

AskMen
Gawker
Gizmodo
IGN
Life Hacker
Rotten Tomatoes

MotoBLUR Services

Digg
Facebook, MySpace, Twitter
Exchange Activesync
Set-Up Wizard

News & Weather

Accuweather
Fox Sports Headlines
Mint
MSNBC Entertainment
MTV
USA Today
USA Today Lifestyle
USA Today Technology

Personal Productivity

Personal Finance Blog
USA Today Money

Tools and Utility

Calendar Sync

Travel

Travel Channel

A frequent criticism that I've given in regards to Android has been the lack of professional devices to date. Personally, I've always thought that the G1 and myTouch 3G don't appeal to professionals (and as such, Android itself, since it has previously limited to these two devices). With the launch of the Motorola CLIQ and the HTC Hero, it's nice to see the manufacturers giving a bit more attention to the professional crowd.

All of these applications are said to come "pre-loaded and ready to use." October 19th is just around the corner - who's buying?

Source: Phandroid

ARTICLE: iPhone app: Date Check (i.e. This one’s for all the single people…)

9/22/2009 6:14:00 PM

Question: Has your mobile phone helped you with dating?
When I was single, which wasn’t that long ago, technology and romance intersected exactly two times in my life, in the form of online dating. Two was plenty, as these encounters were real clunkers. One guy was an unemployed slacker with bad breath and teef (yes, that’s not a typo, and no, it wasn’t evident from his photo); the other fella was a buttoned-up type who looked like my Uncle Mike. (Blech. Who wants to date a family member?)

Sure, my experiences were brief yet disastrous, but others have fared much better. In fact, some of my friends met their spouses on Match or eHarmony. So it may have taken a while for internet dating sites to lose their stigma, but now it’s become a real option for people who are looking for love. (Or a quick hook-up. Yeah, Nerve, I’m talking about you.)

Now cell phones are in the game. These days, there are plenty of social apps and location-aware programs that make finding new people easy and accessible. But there seems to be a tangent breed of dating apps that’s taking a strange — and nosy — turn.

The Date Check mobile app
I just got a press release about a new dating application from Intelius. The company describes itself thusly: “a leading icommerce company that empowers consumers and businesses with information to make intelligent decisions about personal safety and security.” So what’s a company like this doing peddling a dating app? Well, the key word here is “security.”

Here’s the angle: Date Check hooks into the company’s online background check service. The app allows anyone to dig up information on new romantic prospects instantly using just a name or cell phone number.

So imagine meeting someone cute at Starbuck’s or the library. You introduce yourselves, chat, then excuse yourself to the bathroom. While there, you dig up info like age or address (A commuter from Queens? Ugh, too far!), or hit up details like education or employment history. Now you can decide whether that line about an Ivy League education (which was actually a year at community college) is an adorable attempt at impressing you or a bald-faced lie worthy of rejection. All this, in under a few minutes of meeting the person.

Already, I am both disgusted and intrigued by this.

"Look up before you hook up."
Seriously, that’s the official tagline for Date Check. And they’re not kidding.

In addition to the features above, it has search functions called Compatibility (birth date/astrological info), Living Situation (names/ages of family or roommates living at subject's address), Net Worth (financial assets or property ownership) and Sleaze Detector (criminal records). Well, that’s quite a list. Sort of takes the old “Googling a crush” activity and cranks it up a few notches.

I suppose having a way to identify sketchy or potentially dangerous people ahead of time makes sense. But in the hands of said sketchy people, this app makes identifying prey way easier too. Then there are the garden-variety stalkers, gold-diggers, crazy ex’s, etc… who might use this to enable their wacked-out pursuits.

Those are the worst-case scenarios. But even in its most mundane use — with one “normal” person (whatever that means) checking out another “normal” person — I wonder if apps like this suck the romance right out of the courtship process. Or maybe I’m old-fashioned. Maybe there’s no place for words like “discovery,” “exploration” and “mystery” these days, when it seems everyone’s dishing every detail of their lives via, YouTube, Facebook, Linkedin, Plaxo, Twitter, blogs, etc…

While I lament over the death of romance, I also realize that I’m about to contradict myself: If I’d known about Mr. Teef and the Uncle Mike look-alike ahead of time, I could’ve saved time for myself and them.

So yeah, I’m torn. I find this both practical and kind of creepy. What do you all think? Are mobile background checks smart and useful, or are they a terrible idea? And would you ever use this? Better yet, what would you do if you caught someone using this to find dirt on you? Weigh in below.

By the way: The free Date Check mobile for iPhone will be available soon in the App Store, so if you’re interested, it won’t be long before you can get your “nosy” on. Android and Blackberry versions are slated for release in October.

For a look at the Date Check demo reel, click here.

UPDATE:
Intelius has created some cheesy webisodes featuring the Date Check app. Clearly, they’re targeting a female customer base, but the ladies in these vids make me want to chuck a cell phone at them. Inane in the extreme. Click through for examples of how NOT to “relate” to the female experience.

Intelius Date Check Mr. Right Webisode

Intelius Date Check Mr. Wrong Webisode

ARTICLE: Pre Rumors: Palm to release webOS 1.2 next week; paid App Catalog coming September 24th

9/15/2009 2:15:00 PM

In this industry, it's all about rumors, and thanks to information obtained by PreCentral, webOS is in the spotlight today. Reports of a paid App Catalog have been circulating for some time now, and thanks to a tipster, September 24th looks like the date to mark on the calendar. Through the new option, you'll be able to give your credit card information to Palm directly, rather than individual vendors. As if that wasn't good enough, tips are also pouring in about webOS 1.2 landing sometime next week (which, as I previously reported, was accidentally leaked - and subsequently pulled the same day).

From my standpoint, I see the entry of paid apps into the App Catalog as a positive sign of growth, but I'd love to hear from you - is it a sign of good things to come, or yet another way to dent your change purse?

Source: PreCentral

ARTICLE: iPhone app: ICEBeacon can save your bacon

9/10/2009 4:04:00 PM

Well, it seems like today is tragic scenario day. After writing up a post about a bloody, graphic video from Wales featuring the dangers of texting and driving, I get a lead on a new iPhone app for emergency situations.

If I had kids who wanted iPhones or iPod Touches, ICEBeacon would be the app that could convince me to get them. It’s an “in case of emergency” program that makes it simple to contact loved ones and provide vital information to first responders.

There’s a one-touch feature that sends four automated texts to predetermined contacts, and a profile page with name, picture ID, age, gender, blood type, allergy information, medical conditions and medications. Click-to-call links also include phone numbers for primary doctor, family contact and insurance provider.

Clearwave Mobile, the makers of ICEBeacon, have also submitted a GPS update for approval. This new feature will pinpoint the user’s location when the app gets activated and insert a link to the location in the four automated texts.

While there may be plenty of emergency applications in the App Store, this one’s tough to beat for ease-of-use. And let’s face it — if you’re in a car accident or other dire circumstance, “simple” is exactly what you want. But even if you never use it, you can feel good knowing that a portion of your purchase price will go to a worthwhile cause. Twenty-five cents of every $2.99 download is donated to the American Red Cross.

For users without iPhones, there’s also a BlackBerry version (for 8900, Storm and Bold), and a Palm version is currently in development. The service works in BlackBerry markets covering 60 countries, and iPhone markets spanning 81 countries. Premium service works on any phone on any network. For more information, hit up this link or click here to go to the iPhone App Store.

ARTICLE: In a direct slap to Google, Apple approves Vonage iPhone app

9/2/2009 6:45:00 PM

Every so often, a news story comes across my desk that causes me to scratch my head with confusion - this would be one of those stories. Though Google can't seem to get a foot in the door over at Apple headquarters, Vonage today announced the upcoming release of their application for the iPhone. As soon as it leaves beta mode, it'll be released full-force into the App Store.

It'll be interesting to see what the application actually does - considering that Google Voice was rejected for replacing "iPhone’s core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls, text messaging and voicemail," I'm not exactly sure how it would function, given the same set of rules. Perhaps it will be like Skype and work over Wi-Fi only? More importantly, with the approval of this app, is it going to revitalize the Google Voice - Apple debate?

Needless to say, if I was an executive at Google, I would be pretty ticked off.

Source: MobileCrunch

ARTICLE: Facebook 1.7 en-route to BlackBerry; compatible with OS 5.0

9/1/2009 8:15:00 PM

BlackBerry users that have tested OS 5.0 in any way, shape, or form will most likely agree with me - once you've used 5.0 (and included goodies like threaded text messaging), it's hard to go back to OS 4.6. But most of us end up going back anyway. Why, you ask? Because a vast majority of third party apps don't work with 5.0 as of yet. When I was running OS 5.0.0.190 on my Bold, I couldn't download BlackBerry App World, Google Voice, and some of my other apps I needed and used on a regular basis. Though I don't have a Facebook account, it's well known that the current version for BlackBerry is incompatible with all versions of 5.0. Die-hard Facebook users have either been forced to browse their Facebook accounts through the browser, or downgrade to the stock OS 4.6/4.7 (depending on your device).

Rumored to land in September, Facebook v1.7 is on its way, and if rumors are correct, it's fully functional with OS 5.0. And time-wise, that makes sense, as the BlackBerry Bold 9700 (which is slated to run 5.0) is on its way to AT&T and T-Mobile. New devices aside, it's great news for those that like to run beta builds on their devices. One third party app down, many more to go.

New Facebook 1.7 features include:

Revised "View Profile" option
Ability to filter the news feed (seen in picture)
Faster page loading

For those that have downloaded and used OS 5.0, what (if any) of your apps don't work properly? Have you been forced to go back to 4.6/4.7 for application reasons? I'd love to hear from you...

Source: BGR

ARTICLE: App store smackdown: Apple’s App Store worth billions; Android Market, not so much

9/1/2009 7:11:00 PM

According to a recent AdMob figure, the Apple App Store is worth billions of dollars. It estimates sales at $2.4 billion per year and developer revenue of nearly $125 million a month. By contrast, AdMob’s Android Market numbers peg sales volume at $60 million annually, with revenue of $5 million per month for developers.

If you’re an Apple fan, you might be cheering. But Android users might think this is an unfair comparison. And you know what? I don’t blame them one bit.

A few things come to mind with this bit of data. First — and this is important to remember — the iPhone’s been around for a couple of years now. The open-source Android platform is still a nascent OS that only launched less than a year ago. Thus the App Store has a much larger customer base built in, at least for now. Long-term, however, the projections are looking good for Android.

The iPhone OS is obviously tied to one phone. It may be an extremely popular one (the latest news pegs the iPhone as the number 1 smartphone in the country), but it is just one handset. Okay, there’s the iPod Touch, but that’s still only 2 devices generating all those sales.

But the Android community is growing, maybe even showing signs of surging soon. We are on the brink of seeing more (quite buzzworthy) Android phones on the market, from Motorola, HTC and others. As the user community grows, so will sales. And when profits grow, development undoubtedly follows, which creates a bigger catalog of apps to sell.

I may be an iPhone user, but I’m a sucker for an underdog story. And with all the wacky news going on with Apple, I certainly wouldn’t mind if Android takes the hubris down a notch or two. I think Apple would do well with a shot of humility. But it’s not likely to happen overnight. In the mean time, the App Store’s huge success does explain a few other things.

Some people (ahem, Noah) think that the App Store is the property of Apple, and good or bad, the company can do whatever it wants with it. I actually disagree with that. When something is worth billions of dollars, with an enormous number of developers and customers tied to it, the store is no longer just a property. It is now an industry, and just like any other industry, it is subject to monitoring and regulation to ensure fairness and healthy competition.

If Apple doesn’t want to loosen its grip on the (baffling) App Store approval process or answer to federal inquiries on the matter, the best thing it can hope for is that Android does take the lead, as well as some of the attention.

Toward that end, the Android Network Award winners list has just been published to promote some of the awesome items in the Android Market. Hopefully, it’s one more step on the road to Android ratcheting up those numbers and causing a positive ripple effect in the whole industry. And this Apple fangirl actually can’t wait to see that happen.

[via PhoneArena]

ARTICLE: Android Network Award winners announced. (Did your fav app make the list?)

9/1/2009 7:10:00 PM

On Friday, a press release announced the winners of the Android Network Awards, a community-based program created by several of the top Android sites and voted on by users. The winners included some of the best apps, games and tools available for the Android platform.

In the end, 26 programs came out ahead, among them being ShopSavvy, which won the 2008 Android Developer Challenge, and the Sherpa personalized lifestyle app. The rest of the list follows.

Android Network Award winners:

BEST SECURITY APP
Mobile Defense
by Neevo

BEST CAMERA APP
Snap Photo Pro
by Bratag

BEST HOME REPLACEMENT APP
Panda Home
by NetDragon Websoft Inc.

BEST STREAMING MUSIC APP
imeem Mobile
by imeem, Inc.

BEST GPS NAVIGATION APP
CoPilot Live
by ALK Technologies, Inc.

BEST TWITTER APP
Twidroid
by Zimmermann & Marban

BEST WEATHER APP
WeatherBug
by WeatherBug Mobile

BEST COMMUNICATION APP
chompSMS
by chomp SMS

BEST WIDGET
Weather Widget
by Android Apps

BEST PUZZLE GAME
Jewellust
by Smartpix Games

BEST ARCADE GAME
Robo Defense
by Lupis Labs Software

BEST CASUAL GAME
Bonsai Blast
by Glu Mobile

BEST SHOPPING APP
ShopSavvy
by Big in Japan, Inc.

BEST FITNESS APP
SportyPal
by CreationPal

BEST SYSTEM UTILITY APP
TasKiller
by Thibaut Nicolas

BEST TOOL APP
ASTRO File Manager
by Metago

BEST LOCATION BASED APP
Sherpa
by Geodelic

BEST SPORTS APP
SportsTap
by Mobile1Sports

BEST ORGANIZATION / PRODUCTIVITY APP
Astrid
by We <3 Astrid

BEST WOW FACTOR APP
Shazam
by Shazam Entertainment Ltd.

BEST REFERENCE APP
WikiMobile
by Bonfire Media, Inc.

BEST NEWS APP
USA Today
by USA Today

BEST FINANCE APP
PayPal
by PayPal Mobile

BEST SOCIAL NETWORKING APP
Babbler for Facebook
by Kalicinscy.com

BEST ENTERTAINMENT APP
Shazam
by Shazam Entertainment Ltd.

BEST MEDIA PLAYER APP
TuneWiki
by TuneWiki

According to recent figures, the Android Market generates sales of $60 million dollars annually. With cool apps like these, and more devices on the way, I’d expect that over the next year this figure could go up. Way up.

As for this list, is your favorite app on there? If not, pass on your recommendation below. To try any of these award winners, click on the links provided.

ARTICLE: Nonsmartphone users: Are you excited by OneApp?

8/31/2009 1:50:00 PM

By now, you may have heard rumblings about a new platform called OneApp. It’s the brainchild of Microsoft geared for entry-level phones.

The deal with OneApp is to provide access for developers interested in creating applications for limited processing power and low memory. OneApp itself is tiny, at just 150 KB, and works by launching only the part of an app that the user needs for a particular function. That alone would save valuable system resources, but Microsoft also said it would store some of the data from these programs on its own servers, to keep them from bogging down mobile phones.

Also unlike most other app platforms, OneApp isn’t brand-specific. It works on most feature phones with Java.

I can see why developers are kind of excited about this. All the app talk on the interwebs and in the news tend to be all about smartphones. But even though devices like the iPhone, Pre, Android phones and Blackberries get all the buzz, basic feature phones and entry-level handsets still make up the majority of mobile subscribers. Tapping into that market could unlock some serious profit.

So far, there are already demo apps available, including lighter versions of Facebook, Twitter, and Windows Live Messenger.

So what do you think about this news?

(A) Great! Now, I don’t have to pony up $200 to use Twitter.
(B) That’s stupid. Most people who have basic feature phones have no need for apps, otherwise they wouldn’t have bought entry-level handsets.
(C) Okay, interesting. But I’m waiting to see how well this works before I get excited.
(D) No way. If Microsoft’s behind this, it’s sure to stink.
(E) Yay! Microsoft’s behind this!

For more on OneApp, click here for the FAQ or check out its application gallery here.

[via FoneArena]

VIDEO: Cestos - multiplayer Android app

6/19/2009 8:35:00 AM

Cestos is not the only multiplayer game in the Android Market, but the multiplayer functions are more well-integrated than I've seen in any other app. Gameplay is fun and a little addictive. But sound effects are the first must for this free app to reach its potential. Programmed by Chickenbrick Studios.

VIDEO: Buka - iPhone and Android app review

6/11/2009 9:05:00 AM

Every once in while I like to play a game that serves more as an analgesic than a hand-eye coordination challenge. Other days, I want to be on my toes looking for the next virtual threat. Buka provides a bit of both in a cute but numbing package. I mean that in a good way. You'll see what I mean.

VIDEO: Droid Wars: torrent controllers

6/10/2009 10:50:00 AM

Head to head to head to head: Torrent Droid, Torrent-fu, Transdroid, and BarTor. This isn't a full-blown review of any of these apps; just a quick demonstration to see which ones are worth your time. Here's a hint: save your money and go for the freebies.

The hardest part of using these apps is getting the settings right - like port forwarding. Someone aligned with Torrent Droid has provided a great wiki, which includes setting up a free domain for your IP with no-ip.com (i.e., username.redirectme.net). The Torrent Droid's home site, Zerofate, is down at the time of this writing. Looks like their service is basically dead as well. Well, Alec Holmes, thanks for starting something great.

VIDEO: Droid Wars - Breakout clones

5/13/2009 4:50:00 AM

How many Breakout clones are available for Android? A lot, that's how many. I had to edit out my banter about how a neighbor destroyed my Atari 5200. That's how many Breakout clones are in the Market - and I didn't even cover them all.

Here are a couple to look for, and a few others to avoid. BTW, if you can play Droid Breakout using the accelerometer while the reverse power-up is active, I salute you.

Does anyone want to volunteer a cooler intro for Droid Wars? It doesn't have to be flashy. Leave a comment if you'd like to give it a shot.

VIDEO: Tiger Woods PGA Tour for iPhone & iPod Touch

5/1/2009 1:55:00 PM

Ron checks out what might be the best iPhone game evar: Tiger Woods PGA Tour from Electronic Games. $9.99 is a lot for an iPhone/iPod game, but Tiger might be worth it.

VIDEO: Television - Android app review

4/23/2009 10:10:00 AM

The Television app in the Android Market is branded by BluMediaLab, and I don't know if they have any affiliation with the creators of the iPhone version - makayama.com. Both versions are $2.99.

Apple restricted the iPhone version to Wi-Fi operation alone. The Android app seems to work a bit on 3G, but even Wi-Fi gave me sketchy access. The major stations worked great, but the lesser-known channels were unreliable.

VIDEO: Droid Wars: Jewellust vs. Bejeweled

4/22/2009 12:40:00 PM

Droid Wars is a new segment I'm going to try and put together once a week or so. Forget the other clones. For this kind of puzzle game, two stand at the top of the heap: Jewellust and Bejeweled.

VIDEO: iPhone / iPod Touch app review - nin: access

4/17/2009 1:20:00 AM

NIN's access iPhone app was approved and released on April 14th. Listen to music, watch videos, interact with fans, and get the latest tour updates.

Get the app here (iTunes required), and download the NIN|JA Tour Sampler here. Lastly, see Digg Dialogg with Kevin Rose and Trent Reznor, here.

VIDEO: Mystique, Chapter 1 - Android app review

4/9/2009 10:45:00 AM

This one is unique in the Android Market. And because you can play for free or buy for - I mean donate - 99 cents, I have to advise a test drive. Puzzle games like this drive me up the wall, and I usually end up searching for the walk-through. If that kind of frustration intrigues you, then you will not be disappointed.

Feel free to comment about how easy you found it. I think it's quite challenging, and well worth the dollar investment to see where this will go. The author calls it an "epic story," and I want to learn more. I am a sucker for creepy games. I don't know why, but I suddenly have the urge to play Fatal Frame. I need a first-gen xbox. They're like, 50 bux now.

VIDEO: Boxee, Pt 2 - Media Center and iPhone App

4/8/2009 8:25:00 PM

Noah gets hands-on with Boxee, the free media center app that brings Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, and more to your computer or TV set. Now with iPhone app!

VIDEO: Android app review - Sweeter Home

4/1/2009 6:25:00 PM

I knew this would happen. I recorded a video while a new version was being released. Development is moving so quick on this project that any review will be outdated the minute it gets posted. That's O.K., though. You can watch my vid for the overview and check the links for the latest features.

Springboards, which I mentioned in my video, but didn't understand, can be seen in their full glory here.

LemoNZ's Matricks video demonstration can be found here.

Also, be sure to look at Puny Weakling's themes page, and the Sweeter Home homepage.

VIDEO: Palm Pre New Apps: Pandora, Fandango, Sprint TV, Nascar

4/1/2009 6:00:00 PM

Noah gets a demo of the latest Palm Pre apps at CTIA '09 in Las Vegas. Pandora looks sweet - but still no launch date or price info!

VIDEO: Android app review - dxTop

3/6/2009 11:00:00 AM

Buying from the priced Android Market is just too easy, and I've had a hard time holding back. $3.99 is a bit steep for the average app, but as you'll see, dxTop is unique. It provides enough new functionality to satisfy geeky urges, and has great potential for future features. Not only can you now have four homescreen panels on your Android device, a new world of widgets is beginning to open up.

VIDEO: Android app two-fer, part 1 - Shazam

2/25/2009 8:25:00 PM

The Android community already knows about Shazam, thanks to free advertising from Apple. Hear a track on the radio and can't remember who recorded it? Shazam's what you need. Currently free in the Android Market.

VIDEO: Android app two-fer, part 2 - Snaptell

2/25/2009 8:20:00 PM

Snaptell does with visual data what Shazam does with audio information. See a great flick at your buddy's house and want your own copy? Take a photo. Later on, open that photo up with Snaptell and find a store online or nearby to purchase it. Another freebie - for now.

VIDEO: Android app review - Air Hockey

2/23/2009 11:45:00 PM

Air Hockey is always ready - there's no learning curve, no back-story, and no need to pause or save. It's the perfect distraction for those little periods of waiting that are scattered throughout your day. The two-player action is weak at the moment, but don't blame the developer. As soon as wireless gaming is supported, a pair can showdown from different Android devices. Air Hockey is 99 cents. Check out the dev's site: JJCgames

VIDEO: Symbian S60 app review - Skyfire (beta)

2/19/2009 5:30:00 AM

The folks at Skyfire aren't playing around. I had an understanding of their objectives a couple of months ago, but I am impressed with the results they've produced - it turned out better than I had expected. The browser is not exclusive to Symbian devices. Visit skyfire.com with your phone to see if it's compatible.

VIDEO: Android app review - TippoBilloSplitamus

2/18/2009 3:55:00 PM

Of all the Android programs available for calculating tips and splitting bills, this one is the silliest. I also think it's the most practical, functional, and fun to use. It definitely has the best name: TippoBilloSplitamus. Say that five times fast. It's not difficult, but it's fun! This program will be in the *new* Android Market as well as the Apple App Store very soon. The cost is $2.00.

VIDEO: Android weaponry

1/27/2009 12:05:00 PM

There are many kinds of geeks in the world: phone geeks, computer geeks, physics geeks, film geeks, renaissance faire geeks, comic book (sorry, graphic novel) geeks, music geeks, etc. The cataloging continues.

No geek culture supersedes another, but this post is in honor of geeks of the horror and sci-fi variety. They are the ones who will most appreciate these apps, and they are the ones most likely to find themselves in a situation where their use is warranted and socially acceptable.

The video embedded below probably contains numerous errors designated as blasphemy by true fans. I am not a true fan. But I can appreciate your passion, folks. For those who don't know what Spaceballs is, check out the imdb page and see the flick. It's grand.

The video linked here is of an app called G1 Psycho. It was difficult to get decent footage, as the phone must be constantly moving to cause any action. It really needs to be downloaded to be fully appreciated. It's a sharp knife that splatters blood on some bathroom tile when the phone is abused with a jarring, stabbing motion.

The music is great, but I would like it better if the deep, haunting cello continued after the violent bloodshed - without the need to continue jolting my G1. My cat disagrees. He is very scared of the app.

VIDEO: iPhone iPod Touch Game: Chop Sushi!

1/23/2009 7:15:00 PM

Bejweled + Sushi = Chop Sushi! Seriously. $2.99 at the App Store

VIDEO: i.TV App for iPhone and iPod Touch

1/8/2009 12:00:00 AM

Love TV? Got an iPhone or iPod Touch? i.TV is free, and it's pretty cool. Especially if you also use TiVo and/or Netflix. Or like movies. Yeah, it does a lot ... And it's free $^) Check it out ...

VIDEO: iPhone & iPod Touch App: uClick for Comics and More

1/6/2009 12:00:00 AM

uClick has a ton of comics and other content online, and it's formatted for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch. They're also launching 99 cent virtual comic books via the Apple App Store. Noah checks it out from MacWorld 2009.

VIDEO: iPhone/iPod Touch App Review: Rolando

1/3/2009 1:10:00 PM

Best iFone Game Evar? R O L A N D O. Awesome.

VIDEO: iPhone/iPod Touch App Review: Real Soccer 2009

1/2/2009 5:10:00 PM

Noah checks out one of the better sports games for iPhone and iPod Touch: Gameloft's Real Soccer 2009.