The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.tuaw.comThe Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/feedlogo.gifThe Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.tuaw.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Pie Guy: A web game for the iPhonehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/pie-guy-a-web-game-for-the-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/pie-guy-a-web-game-for-the-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/pie-guy-a-web-game-for-the-iphone/#commentsFiled under: Gaming, Freeware, iPhone, iPod touch

Back when the iPhone was first announced, there was no SDK, you'll remember. Jobs said that developers could just make web apps, and that they would be good enough. Of course, he was wrong -- given what you can do with your iPhone now compared to what you could do with your iPhone then, even Steve would be happy to say that yes, there is a native app for that. But let's not toss the projects out with the development platform, so to speak. Neven Mrgan, one of the devs over at Panic, has released Pie Guy, a free and surprisingly full-featured game for the iPhone that exists only as a Javascript web app. To play it, just point your iPhone 3GS (the page says you need one of those, and while I was able to play it on my 1G, it was too clunky to enjoy) to mrgan.com/pieguy, add that page to your homescreen, and there you go.

In case you haven't guessed from the pic above (or the name), the game itself is a straightforward Pac-Man clone. But what's most interesting here is the example this game sets. Think about it: a full featured, automatically updated game release, delivered straight to the iPhone without any approval required by Apple. The revenue model might need some work, but maybe we dismissed this whole "web app" idea a little too quickly. For devs looking to go around the App Store's process, maybe there's a solution here. Boy, Flash sure would help with that, wouldn't it?

Pie Guy: A web game for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pie Guy: A web game for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>flashflash for iphoneFlashForIphoneiphone 3gsIphone3gsneven mrganNevenMrganpanicpie guypie-guyPieGuyrevenuesdksteve jobsSteveJobswebweb appsWebAppsMike SchrammThu, 26 Nov 2009 11:00:00 ESTHandbrake 0.9.4 released, includes 64-bit supporthttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/handbrake-0-9-4-released-includes-64-bit-support/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/handbrake-0-9-4-released-includes-64-bit-support/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/handbrake-0-9-4-released-includes-64-bit-support/#commentsFiled under: Multimedia, Freeware, Open Source

It's been a year in coming, but Handbrake, the multiplatform, open-source video transcoder, has been updated to version 0.9.4. It's one of the tools I included in my list of 10 must-have apps for a new Mac.

The Handbrake team has been busy indeed over the past year -- their change log shows over 1000 changes since the build they released last year. The biggest new feature with this update is support for 64-bit, which allows Handbrake to encode approximately 10% faster than previous 32-bit builds. The 64-bit build is not exclusive to Snow Leopard, so if you're still running 10.5 on a 64-bit capable machine, you'll still be able to reap the benefits of reduced encoding time.

That 10% performance improvement estimate appears to be very close to the mark, at least on my MacBook Pro. Using 0.9.3, Handbrake encodes would average around 27 - 29 frames per second when transcoding a VIDEO_TS folder to H.264. In 0.9.4, using the same settings, I'm seeing encoding rates of closer to 30 - 34 frames per second. This means that on my Mac, Handbrake is now transcoding DVDs in real time or faster thanks to the improvements in the new version.

The Handbrake team has trimmed some of the fat from this release. There are no more presets for the PSP, PS3, or Xbox 360; all three have been replaced with a "Normal" preset that should work on any device that supports Main Profile H.264. Handbrake has also removed support for transcoding to AVI, OGG, and XviD. Personally I won't miss any of these, as I always transcoded to H.264, but for people who are still clinging to AVI (for whatever reason), this update will force them to abandon the format.

Another new feature that looks like it'll be incredibly useful is Live Preview, which allows you to encode a small portion of the video source using current settings and then see what it looks like. This will keep you from having to encode the entire video only to find out two hours later that one of your settings was off, forcing you to start all over again.

Handbrake 0.9.4 is a free download, available here.

Handbrake 0.9.4 released, includes 64-bit support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Handbrake 0.9.4 released, includes 64-bit support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>h.264HandbrakevideoChris RawsonTue, 24 Nov 2009 21:15:00 ESTChillingo officially launches Crystal SDK for iPhone game developershttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/chillingo-officially-launches-crystal-sdk-for-iphone-game-develo/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/chillingo-officially-launches-crystal-sdk-for-iphone-game-develo/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/chillingo-officially-launches-crystal-sdk-for-iphone-game-develo/#commentsFiled under: Gaming, Odds and ends, Freeware, iPhone, SDK

Chillingo recently announced that it would be launching Crystal SDK, a service joining the increasingly crowded social network market for iPhone games. Xbox Live on the Xbox is an official social network, but the iPhone has no such official service. A crowd of contenders, from the popular OpenFeint service to ngmoco's Plus+ network, are jumping in and trying to get developers on board with them. Crystal SDK is one of those -- they've now launched the official website and are asking developers interested to sign up and see what their software has to offer.

Like many of the other services, Crystal is offering to integrate challenges, achievements, leaderboards, and other social services into iPhone apps. The SDK seems like it's still pre-release, however -- there's only a signup, no information on cost or implementation or anything else on the site. Still, if you happen to be an iPhone developer still looking for a network to hook up with, they might be the one for you.

While we're at it: what do you consumers think? Have you actually chosen a network to go with, or are you doing what I'm doing and still basically going game by game? The goal of these networks eventually is to have a unified stable of developers, where you'll jump into a new game simply because it's linked to the network you're signed up with (and your friends will be playing over there and encouraging you to join). But in reality, I haven't seen that -- most people I know are just playing the games they're interested in, and the network the games are connected to hasn't made a big difference.

Chillingo officially launches Crystal SDK for iPhone game developers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chillingo officially launches Crystal SDK for iPhone game developers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>chillingocrystal-sdkdevelopersgame developersgame-developersGameDevelopersgamingiphonenetworkngmocoopenfeintplussocial networkSocialNetworkMike SchrammTue, 24 Nov 2009 12:30:00 ESTMobile shopping's first Christmashttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/mobile-shoppings-first-christmas/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/mobile-shoppings-first-christmas/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/mobile-shoppings-first-christmas/#commentsFiled under: Software, Odds and ends, Freeware, Deals, iPhone, App Store

I don't know that I completely agree with this article over at Business Week (technically, last year was our first Christmas with the App Store), but I think the concept is fascinating. Lauren Sherman and her interviewee Retails Systems Research managing partner Paula Rosenblum reason that this coming Christmas season -- surprise, we're only five days away from Black Friday 2009 -- will be the first where mobile shopping apps (and the smartphones that can run them) will be generally ubiquitous.

Not only will people have access to apps on their iPhone that help them find deals, stores, and prices, but they'll all have 'net-connected phones as well, which many of them actually got last Christmas. You'll see people sending texts to each other, playing games while in line, and even scanning coupons in at the register -- all with their phones.

As I said, this was all possible last Christmas, but since then, we've seen non-iPhones like the Pre and the Droid drop, and the iPhone itself has claimed a lot more customers than Black Friday 2008. These people won't be out buying smartphones, obviously, but they will be using them, and it'll be interesting to see how much this changes the experience. When I was a kid, you planned out your route ahead of time and hit what few stores you could, but between Twitter, apps, and all the other information available on a phone, shopping during the holiday season might be very different this year.

Although you can be sure there will still be lines, parking frustrations, and lots and lots of people buying junk just because it's cheap. Then again, maybe it's better to use that slightly older piece of technology, the desktop browser, and just do the shopping from home.

[via MacBytes]

Mobile shopping's first Christmas originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mobile shopping's first Christmas originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>adsappblack-fridaychangesiphonemobileMike SchrammMon, 23 Nov 2009 07:00:00 ESTGiving or getting a Mac for the holidays? 10 apps every new Mac user needshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/21/10-apps-every-new-mac-needs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/21/10-apps-every-new-mac-needs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/21/10-apps-every-new-mac-needs/#commentsFiled under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Freeware

All new Macs come with great bundled software. Between the iLife suite, Safari, iTunes, and TextEdit, plus the ability to access and use cloud applications for free, almost all of the most basic modern computing needs get met for most users.

That said, having used four different Macs over the past seven years, there are several applications that don't come with OS X that I find myself immediately loading onto a new Mac. Most of these are big-name apps that you've probably already heard of, but it's still pretty amazing how much extra functionality you can eke out of a Mac with only ten additional programs, and all of them (save the last one) are free.

Whether you're buying a new Mac for a relative this holiday season or getting a new one for yourself, these are ten applications you should download as soon as that shiny new machine loads the desktop for the first time.

Continue reading Giving or getting a Mac for the holidays? 10 apps every new Mac user needs

Giving or getting a Mac for the holidays? 10 apps every new Mac user needs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Giving or getting a Mac for the holidays? 10 apps every new Mac user needs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>AdiumDropboxFirefoxFlip4MacGrowlHandbrakehggiWorkSkypeswitcherTransmissionVLCChris RawsonSat, 21 Nov 2009 12:00:00 ESTLooking for free iWeb hosting? Here's how to use Dropbox as your hosthttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/looking-for-free-iweb-hosting-heres-how-to-use-dropbox-as-your/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/looking-for-free-iweb-hosting-heres-how-to-use-dropbox-as-your/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/looking-for-free-iweb-hosting-heres-how-to-use-dropbox-as-your/#commentsFiled under: iLife, How-tos, Freeware, Internet Tools

Since iWeb comes with just about every Mac, it's surprising that it isn't used by more Mac users. For some people, coughing up US$99 a year for MobileMe hosting is the barrier, but there are other ways to get your iWeb pages out where the world can see them.

Last night, while participating in a recording of the MacJury podcast, one of my gift ideas was to sign somebody up for a free trial of Dropbox and show them how to use it for syncing all sorts of things. While I was touting all of the things that Dropbox can be used for, I pulled up the Dropbox wiki for reference, and I noticed a link for Tips and Tricks. One of the tips was "Use Dropbox to host a website."

iWeb is one of my personal specialties, so I immediately wondered if someone could use Dropbox to host an iWeb site. Within two minutes, I had my answer and an idea for a how-to post. Follow along as I show you how to publish your iWeb site on a free Dropbox account.

Note: As our commenters point out, even though the suggestion for website hosting comes direct from the Dropbox wiki, the service is not intended for 'production' web hosting. A few personal pages or a testing site shouldn't cause you any grief, but Dropbox does reserve the right to turn off your public links if the system detects unusual levels of bandwidth consumption.

Continue reading Looking for free iWeb hosting? Here's how to use Dropbox as your host

Looking for free iWeb hosting? Here's how to use Dropbox as your host originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking for free iWeb hosting? Here's how to use Dropbox as your host originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>dropboxfree web hostingFreeWebHostingiwebSteven SandeFri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:00 ESTCamino 2.0 offers Tab Overview and morehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/19/camino-2-0-offers-tab-overview-and-more/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/19/camino-2-0-offers-tab-overview-and-more/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/19/camino-2-0-offers-tab-overview-and-more/#commentsFiled under: Software, Freeware, Internet Tools, Open Source

Camino seems a bit like the half-forgotten poor sister of Firefox. The goal of the Camino project is to produce a truly OS X-native browser built on the same Gecko rendering engine that drives Firefox. While it was popular among certain Mac geeks for a while (I even remember using it when it was still called Chimera), it seems like it's fallen somewhat out of favor of late given the richness of browser options on the Mac. No doubt part of this was the lack of significant development.

Well, no more. Camino is back with a new version number and lots of interesting new features. Perhaps chief among them is the new Tab Overview, which is a little like Exposé for open tabs. It also features improvements in handling tabs, Growl integration, phishing and malware protection and more.

Camino 2.0 is a free download from The Camino Project for OS X 10.4 and later.

[via Daring Fireball]

Camino 2.0 offers Tab Overview and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Camino 2.0 offers Tab Overview and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>browserCaminointenetintenet toolsIntenetToolswebMat LuThu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:00 ESTGrowl at 1.2, with 64-bit supporthttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/growl-updated-to-1-2-adds-64-bit-support/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/growl-updated-to-1-2-adds-64-bit-support/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/growl-updated-to-1-2-adds-64-bit-support/#commentsFiled under: Software, Freeware, Open Source

Ever since upgrading to Snow Leopard, the one remaining 32-bit niggle I have has been with Growl's preference pane. ~~Today, however~~,* Growl has released v1.2 of its famous application notification system with, among other things, 64-bit support.

While most of the updates in 1.2 are "behind the scenes," the biggest user-facing improvement is in the upgrade to 64-bit. What this means is that for Snow Leopard users, selecting the Growl preference pane does not require Preferences.app to re-launch in 32-bit compatibility mode.

In addition to the Growl preference pane, GrowlMail and GrowlSafari have been updated to 64-bit and are now Snow Leopard compatible. Further, the Growl framework has been re-written in Cocoa dropping support for the Carbon-based API.

You can see the full list of changes over at Growl's version history page. Growl users should have received a notification to download the update. Alternatively, you can head over to Growl's homepage and click "download" to get your ticket to the notification express.

*Several readers have pointed out that version 1.2, while the current version, wasn't released today but in fact has been out for several weeks. Our apologies.

Growl at 1.2, with 64-bit support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Growl at 1.2, with 64-bit support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>growlnotificationos xOsXAron TrimbleWed, 18 Nov 2009 08:10:00 ESTChrome for Mac due in December?http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/12/chrome-for-mac-due-in-december/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/12/chrome-for-mac-due-in-december/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/12/chrome-for-mac-due-in-december/#commentsFiled under: Software, Freeware, Developer

I sure thought Google Chrome was already out for Mac, but apparently that was just a developer preview -- they haven't yet done an official release (it's been a tough road to travel, I guess). But the wait is almost over, according to Mashable.

They've spotted a message on a developer list that hints at a beta release as soon as this December, assuming the extensions team gets their BrowserActions ready, the code clears the appointed timelines, and the stars align over the Pegasus constellation in the fifth quadrant. (Can you tell I don't know anything about what it takes to ship a new browser? Or, for that matter, about astrology?)

But I do know something about using browsers, and it'll be nice to finally have an official version of Chrome to run on the Mac. There have been a couple of unofficial attempts at getting the base software running, but especially since I plan to use more and more of Google Wave, being able to run it in the "official" Google browser will be nice.

Chrome for Mac due in December? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chrome for Mac due in December? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>astrologybrowserchrome for the macChromeForTheMacdecemberdevelopmentgooglegoogle chromegoogle-chromeGoogleChromemacopen sourceopen-sourceOpenSourceMike SchrammThu, 12 Nov 2009 13:00:00 ESTFound Footage: TweetDeck for iPhone gets a major makeoverhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/11/found-footage-tweetdeck-for-iphone-gets-a-major-makeover/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/11/found-footage-tweetdeck-for-iphone-gets-a-major-makeover/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/11/found-footage-tweetdeck-for-iphone-gets-a-major-makeover/#commentsFiled under: Freeware, Found Footage, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

The press release I received tonight said it all: "TweetDeck for iPhone -- now with added awesome." I use TweetDeck on my Macs, but had used another competing app for tweeting from my iPhone. After this update, which is the first major upgrade to this free Twitter client, I may have to reconsider!

The features in TweetDeck 1.1.1 [iTunes Link] have been given a squirt of goodness, with these new features added to the mix:

Video tweeting via integration with 12seconds (record video and send to Twitter or Facebook using 12seconds platform)
Facebook integration (updates, FB columns, wall posts, etc.)
Landscape composing (for those with stumbly thumbs)
Trending Topics to see what's happening RIGHT NOW
Save Draft for later
Bit.ly support
And some additional goodies...

As with the Mac and Windows versions, the TweetDeck for iPhone user interface makes great use of columns, each of which can show a different feed, direct messages, or mentions for multiple accounts. Be sure to watch the video above, and if you're still looking for an iPhone Twitter client, give this fun freebie a try.

Found Footage: TweetDeck for iPhone gets a major makeover originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Found Footage: TweetDeck for iPhone gets a major makeover originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>freewareiphoneipod touchIpodTouchtweetdecktwitterupdateSteven SandeWed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:00 ESTThe loot from the recent MacHeisthttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/free-mac-software-loot-macheist-bundle/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/free-mac-software-loot-macheist-bundle/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/free-mac-software-loot-macheist-bundle/#commentsFiled under: Software, Freeware, Deals

As Kevin pointed out on Wednesday, MacHeist has a new bundle for us at the moment -- but this one is what they consider a "nanoBundle" and it's free. I can't speak for everyone here at TUAW, but when I see the word "free" next to software, I horde it.

They've decided to just give away this bundle of apps in what appears to be a move to encourage their users to come back for more. 6 great mac apps for zero dollars. That's my kind of deal. There are only 6 more days to download this bundle, so go grab it after checking out the loot:

Shove Box -- An awesome reminder, organization, gotta-get-it-done application that sits in your menu bar. You can then drag things like text, URLs, images... possibly anything to the menu bar app and it'll save it for later. When you get some free time, you can go back through and see what you have. There's an iPhone companion app as well.
WriteRoom -- A simple writing application that removes all of the typical distractions from your writing sessions. It makes the text window full screen, completely cutting off the rest of the world from your mind -- if you so choose. It still has simple tools like word count, background/text color adjustments... but definitely keeps you focused. We've covered it quite a bit.
Twitterrific -- One of my favorite apps on my iPhone as of late. The desktop version is similarly simple. Set up your Twitter account and tweet away with the easiest solution imaginable.
TinyGrab -- Is a screen capture maniac's dream. It allows you to use the standard command-shift-4 and select part of your screen or hit spacebar to capture a specific window. The kicker: it uploads it directly to your own FTP server and puts the URL in your clipboard so you can paste it in Facebook, Twitter, email, IM... whatever your pleasure.
Hordes of Orcs -- I'll admit, this is the real reason I'm downloading the bundle. I've heard nothing but great reviews about this game even from our own Mike Schramm. It's one of the most innovative desktop tower defense games I've seen. Everything is in 3D, there are 6 different game variations and let's not forget tower defense.
Mariner Write -- This is a word processor with features you need but none of the "bloat" found in other applications *cough* Microsoft *cough.* Of course, it will open and save Word documents, as well as other formats.

While I was writing this, the download total went up 5,000 downloads but it'll take 500,000 for all of us to get the full benefit. MacHeist says that Mariner Write is the unlockable application, so I'm hoping to get a serial and really try it out. Head over to Macheist, and download your nanoBundle. For the first time, I'll be using all of the apps in it -- and it's free!

The loot from the recent MacHeist originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The loot from the recent MacHeist originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>hgghordes of orcsHordesOfOrcsmacheistmariner writeMarinerWriteshove boxShoveBoxtinygrabtwitterrificwriteroomJosh CarrFri, 06 Nov 2009 09:30:00 ESTEliminate now available on the App Storehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/eliminate-now-available-on-the-app-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/eliminate-now-available-on-the-app-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/eliminate-now-available-on-the-app-store/#commentsFiled under: Gaming, Software, Freeware, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Ngmoco's Eliminate has been building up buzz ever since it was announced, and now the first-person shooter is out on the App Store to try for yourself. As you can see above, it offers some relatively basic FPS gameplay when compared to shooters on other platforms (I've been having a lot of fun with Borderlands lately), but given that this is the iPhone we're talking about, this kind of twitch 3D gameplay is actually pretty impressive. You can play online over 3G or Wi-Fi, and as you play, you can earn credits and level up, which gives you access to more weapons and better gear. The game itself is free, but it's all based around a microtransaction system where you buy "energy" which allows you to earn those aforementioned resources. You get a certain amount of energy per day on your own, and if you use it up, you can't progress any further unless you get out the wallet or wait another day. And the game uses ngmoco's own Plus+ social interface to track leaderboards and accounts. Interesting plan, and we'll have to see if players vibe with it or not. Some have already voiced strong concerns about the in-game pay-to-play microtransaction system.

If that doesn't vibe with you, and you'd rather play some old-school (and old business model) FPS gameplay instead, id's Doom Classic also got released on the App Store last weekend. That game comes at a cost of $6.99, but then again, with old-school Doom, you know exactly what you're getting into. And you won't have to buy any extra energy to charge your BFG and slay any demons you happen to come across.

Eliminate now available on the App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Eliminate now available on the App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>3gapp-storecostdoomdoom-classiceliminatefirst-person-shooterfpsgamesgamingidmicrotransactionsngmocoold-schoolplussocial-interfacewifiMike SchrammTue, 03 Nov 2009 00:30:00 ESTFree music and a chance to win more from Tap Tap Revenge 3http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/22/free-music-and-a-chance-to-win-more-from-tap-tap-revenge-3/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/22/free-music-and-a-chance-to-win-more-from-tap-tap-revenge-3/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/22/free-music-and-a-chance-to-win-more-from-tap-tap-revenge-3/#commentsFiled under: Gaming, Software, Freeware, Developer, iPhone, App Store

Tap Tap Revenge 3 is apparently going gangbusters over on the App Store -- Tapulous has gotten in touch with us to let us know about two different free promotions they're doing lately, as well as give you readers a chance to win their entire catalog for free.

First up, the free stuff for everybody. Today, October 22, they're giving away the great song "Fireflies" by one of my favorite new music acts, Owl City. It just happens to also be the number one song in iTunes today as well, which is a pretty big deal for Tapulous -- it's the first time they've been able to pair up a TTR track release with a #1 on the download charts.

To get that free song, just sign in to the application and pick it up. Additionally, if you don't have the app yet, buying the app before this Friday can get you a free premium two-pack -- all you have to do for that is email your iTunes reciept (or a screenshot of it) to "freemusic AT tapulous DOT com" and put your TTR3 username (and only your username) in the email subject line.

And hey, if that's not enough free stuff, keep reading -- here at TUAW, we're giving away licenses to TTR3's entire premium catalog (the whole thing, from A Perfect Circle to Robbie Williams) to three lucky commenters.

Continue reading Free music and a chance to win more from Tap Tap Revenge 3

Free music and a chance to win more from Tap Tap Revenge 3 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Free music and a chance to win more from Tap Tap Revenge 3 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>contentcontestdlcdownloadable-contentfirefliesgiveawayiphoneowl-cityprizestap-tap-revenge-3usMike SchrammThu, 22 Oct 2009 20:00:00 ESTTUAW exclusive: Makers of Aurora Feint unveil new game, codenamed "VSL"http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/tuaw-exclusive-makers-of-aurora-feint-unveil-new-game-codename/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/tuaw-exclusive-makers-of-aurora-feint-unveil-new-game-codename/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/tuaw-exclusive-makers-of-aurora-feint-unveil-new-game-codename/#commentsFiled under: Gaming, Software, Odds and ends, Freeware, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Aurora Feint was one of the iPhone's first big games, way back in the early days of the App Store. Since then, the company behind that first hit has added on a few different games in the same universe, each with their own separate features and focus, but all in the same vein of puzzle-based RPG. Today, Aurora Feint, Inc. has pulled back the curtain just slightly to reveal their very first original effort since that initial App Store release. The game is only codenamed so far -- they're calling it "VSL" -- but the developers at Aurora Feint plan to turn it into a "showcase" of what's possible with Apple's new policy of allowing free apps to provide content on demand.

Above is the very first screenshot of the yet-to-be revealed game, and TUAW got a chance to talk exclusively with both Peter Relan and Jason Citron of Aurora Feint about the new game, what it'll be like, and how it'll integrate with their growing social gaming platform, OpenFeint. Click the link below to read on.

Continue reading TUAW exclusive: Makers of Aurora Feint unveil new game, codenamed "VSL"

TUAW exclusive: Makers of Aurora Feint unveil new game, codenamed "VSL" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW exclusive: Makers of Aurora Feint unveil new game, codenamed "VSL" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appleaurora-feintchatcodenamecontentexclusivegamingin-app-purchasesinterviewiphoneipod-touchjason-citronmicrotransactionsopenfeintpeter-relanpuzzle-based-rpgsocial-gamingtuawvirtual-goodsvslMike SchrammTue, 20 Oct 2009 23:00:00 ESTDevs quickly move to new models after in-app purchase changehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/17/devs-quickly-move-to-new-models-after-in-app-purchase-change/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/17/devs-quickly-move-to-new-models-after-in-app-purchase-change/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/17/devs-quickly-move-to-new-models-after-in-app-purchase-change/#commentsFiled under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Software, Odds and ends, Freeware, Apple, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

It was just yesterday that Apple announced they would allow free apps to enable in-app purchases, and developers are already jumping on the "get the app for free, buy the content later" business model as quickly as they can. ngmoco came out swinging, as Touch Arcade reports, with both a free intro version of Rolando 2 out for purchase, with later chapters of the game as add-ons. They've also been working on a shooter called Eliminate, and we're now told that title will be free as well, with extra content to buy later.

The creators of Urban Rivals, an app that is based on a virtual trading card game, have let us know that they too plan to go the free-with-microtransactions model as soon as their app is released, and though we haven't actually heard from Tapulous, Andrew Lacy told us outright that the only reason Tap Tap Revenge 3 had a 99 cent price tag on it was because of Apple's limitation, so we'll expect that app to go free as soon as it can.

Clearly, there's a drive for this model on the developer side, but the question will be just how much this echoes with consumers -- certainly the "download a trial, buy more later" model has worked well on other platforms, so we can expect it to work here on the App Store as well. But on the other hand, just as when the App Store first opened for business, it's a very "wild west" moment -- everybody and their brother is offering up in-app transactions, and they're all of varying prices and quality.

My guess is that we'll see a few "hits" -- a few free apps that everybody buys content for (Tap Tap Revenge 3 is a good guess; considering that because you know most of those songs, there's much less guessing on what the quality of the transactions will give you). At the same time, there will likely be apps that everyone agrees aren't worth the in-app purchase (it's the old story of "horse armor" when Xbox Live started doing microtransactions). Until we find a good balance, where quality meets price, odds are that it'll be tough for consumers to know just what's worth it, and thus tough for developers to convince them that their content is.

Devs quickly move to new models after in-app purchase change originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Devs quickly move to new models after in-app purchase change originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>andrew-lacydeveloperseliminatefreefreewarehorse-armorin-app-purchasesiphoneipod-touchngmocorolando-2tapulousurban-rivalsMike SchrammSat, 17 Oct 2009 12:00:00 ESTBlog Action Day: Five apps to help save the worldhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/15/blog-action-day-five-apps-to-help-save-the-world/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/15/blog-action-day-five-apps-to-help-save-the-world/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/15/blog-action-day-five-apps-to-help-save-the-world/#commentsFiled under: Features, Education, Other Events, Freeware, Internet, Apple, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

TUAW is participating in this year's Blog Action Day on 10/15, an annual event in which bloggers around the world aim to spark discussion and awareness of serious and important issues. This year's topic is climate change, and fortunately, just like last year, we in the Apple community are in a pretty good place -- the company makes it a point to stay as green as possible, they have Al Gore on their board, and they make it safe and easy to dispose of their products in an environmentally friendly way. But there's always more we can do, from person to person -- making the earth a better place to live is going to take all of us working together.

And so, here's five iPhone and iPod touch apps you can use to find out what you can do to take action on climate change. Some are paid, some are free, but all of them will give you fun and useful ways to help find approaches to dealing with climate change in your own behavior and life.

Continue reading Blog Action Day: Five apps to help save the world

Blog Action Day: Five apps to help save the world originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Blog Action Day: Five apps to help save the world originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>al-goreapp-storeappleblog-action-dayblog-action-day-2009carbon-calcclimate changeclimate-changeClimateChangeenvironmentalgas-cubby-litegoodguidegreeniphoneipod-touchpocket-gardenpollutionproductstuawMike SchrammThu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:00 ESTPepsi apologizes for sexist iPhone app, inadvertently fans the flameshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/pepsi-apologizes-for-sexist-iphone-app-inadvertently-fans-the-f/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/pepsi-apologizes-for-sexist-iphone-app-inadvertently-fans-the-f/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/pepsi-apologizes-for-sexist-iphone-app-inadvertently-fans-the-f/#commentsFiled under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Odds and ends, Freeware, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

PepsiCo's Amp Energy brand stirred up a lot of hatred in the last couple of months when the "AMP UP Before You Score" app [iTunes Link] was released. This app, branded as sexist and inappropriate by a lot of people who rated it in the App Store, provides guys with cards to "identify her type," pickup lines that are useful with a particular "type" of woman, and ways of keeping track and spreading the news via social networking if you "get lucky."

A public apology was made by Amp on its Twitter feed (@ampwhatsnext) which introduced the app and its questionable content to a larger audience. Even worse is that the apology included a new Twitter hashtag, #pepsifail, and was retweeted on several other Pepsi feeds. That had the effect of not only causing more people to become aware of the app, but also increased the furor towards it and towards PepsiCo.

A post on Advertising Age noted that Pepsi's strategy seems to be somewhat confused, as they haven't pulled the app, and by linking the Amp Energy app to the Pepsi brand they're beginning to get heat for the entire brand -- not just the app.

An App Store review by iPhone developer Raven Zachary said it best: "Dear Pepsico, your iPhone app, AMP UP before you score, is offensive and is a great new case study for branded apps gone wrong." You have to wonder, though, if this is actually working to introduce many more people to the Amp Energy brand.

[via AdAge]

Pepsi apologizes for sexist iPhone app, inadvertently fans the flames originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pepsi apologizes for sexist iPhone app, inadvertently fans the flames originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appapp storeAppStorebranded appBrandedAppcrudeidiotsiphonepepsirudesocially irresponsibleSociallyIrresponsibleSteven SandeTue, 13 Oct 2009 18:30:00 ESTSportacular updated for (fantasy) footballhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/10/sportacular-updated-for-fantasy-football/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/10/sportacular-updated-for-fantasy-football/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/10/sportacular-updated-for-fantasy-football/#commentsFiled under: Software, Freeware, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

I only follow a few sports teams, but for the teams I do follow, Sportacular (that's the iTunes link for the free version, and here's the paid version, sans ads) is definitely my app of choice. For nearly every professional sport you can think of, the app will track scores, plays, schedules, standings, and anything else you need to know about everything from NFL to college football to the English Premier League and the PGA.

Right after iPhone OS 3.0 came out, the developer added in push notifications, and now I've got push updates coming whenever the Cubs have a game starting and ending (or at least, when they did -- there's always next year) and whenever a Bears quarter ends. Sportacular even has a few social features happening -- you can make picks and discuss each game with other fans using your Facebook login, as well as read news and updates about each team in the games you check out.

The app was updated to version 1.6 last night, and the new features include better game pages for NFL and NCAA football, and option to manage and track your fantasy football team in conjunction with their fantasy football app on Facebook. The one bummer I have is that they don't have actual media of the games -- for that, you'll probably have to go for an official app. But especially as a free download (the ads are definitely non-intrusive), Sportacular is really impressive with everything it does to help you track your favorite sports and teams.

Sportacular updated for (fantasy) football originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sportacular updated for (fantasy) football originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>adsappcitizen-sportsdownloadfacebookfantasy-footballfootballfreencaanflsport-trackingsportacularstatstrackingupdateMike SchrammSat, 10 Oct 2009 17:00:00 ESTDoubletwist introduces in-app music store powered by Amazonhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/08/doubletwist-introduces-in-app-music-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/08/doubletwist-introduces-in-app-music-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/08/doubletwist-introduces-in-app-music-store/#commentsFiled under: iTS, Software, Freeware, iTunes, Deals, Music

We posted about Doubletwist earlier this year -- it's a pretty innovative music app (developed in part by Jon Lech Johansen, otherwise known as DVD Jon) that not only plays you play whatever you like, obviously, but even lets you share and send music off to anyone, even other people who don't have the app itself. Now Doubletwist is stepping up even more closely to becoming an iTunes competitor: they've announced a partnership with the Amazon music store to sell music directly from within the app. No TVs or movies -- just music, purchased directly within the app, and then able to be sent out to any devices or social networks as usual.

TechCrunch says the store's simplicity is actually a selling point -- iTunes has ballooned up to do way more than just sell music, and in Doubletwist it's much more straightforward. Here's the other bonus for Mac users: while we originally had to wait for an app release, the music store is currently only available on the Mac version of the software. A PC version is coming soon.

It's doubtful Doubletwist will replace iTunes for many people, given all of the various things iTunes does for a Mac user. But then again, if you are using the Amazon MP3 store with any frequency, Doubletwist is probably worth a look: it's a free download on the website.

Doubletwist introduces in-app music store powered by Amazon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Doubletwist introduces in-app music store powered by Amazon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>amazon-music-storedoubletwistmoviessimplicitytechcrunchtvsMike SchrammThu, 08 Oct 2009 10:30:00 ESTBlackBerry alert! BlackBerry Desktop Software for Mac arriveshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/02/blackberry-alert-blackberry-desktop-software-for-mac-arrives/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/02/blackberry-alert-blackberry-desktop-software-for-mac-arrives/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/02/blackberry-alert-blackberry-desktop-software-for-mac-arrives/#commentsFiled under: Software, Wireless, Odds and ends, Freeware, iTunes, Developer

A TUAW reader zapped us a note with his BlackBerry device to tell us that as of today, BlackBerry Desktop Software for Mac is available (we first noted it as "coming in September" back in July).

It's a free download [link], and requires Mac OS X 10.5.5 or better, BlackBerry device software version 4.2 or higher, and iTunes 7.2 or newer. Key features of the software include the ability to synchronize your iTunes library with your CrackBerry, sync calendars, contacts, and appointments, & add or delete apps and files.

This is the first time that Research In Motion (RIM) has developed their own solution for syncing Macs and BlackBerry handhelds. In the past, the company made a version of PocketMac for BlackBerry available at no cost to Mac-owning customers, and other third-party developers such as Mark/Space have had BlackBerry solutions available for many years.

Thanks to Storry for the tip!

BlackBerry alert! BlackBerry Desktop Software for Mac arrives originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BlackBerry alert! BlackBerry Desktop Software for Mac arrives originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blackberrydesktopmacsoftwareSteven SandeFri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST