Junk mail. Yuck. Not only is it annoying, it’s also a terrible waste. All those circulars about sales no one cares about involving products nobody wants… At least those unsolicited emails from Nigerian princes don’t waste any paper. Well now there’s this neat little app that will theoretically put a stop to most of these unwanted advertisements.
PaperKarma is so simple in its execution it almost sounds like magic. All a user has to do is snap a photo with their iOS device’s camera and the app will (read: should) find the company responsible and take care of the rest. The rest referring to getting users off of the mailing list. It’s a mind-bogglingly simple concept, really.
Anyone with an iOS device and a thinning patience for junk mail should definitely check out PaperKarma. It’s on the App Store right now, and it’s on sale for free for a “limited time.” What’s the harm in giving it a try, right?
There are a thousand different ways to learn how to play guitar, but have you ever wanted to do it by playing along to Offspring songs on your iPad? Of course you did! And as luck would have it now you can with Rock Prodigy. The app is a fully-featured guitar trainer, allowing users to play along with three different Offspring songs and learn all the riffs made famous by Dexter and Noodles. The feature list is pretty staggering, showcasing a chromatic tuner, the ability to slow down, loop or auto pause tracks, polyphonic pitch detection that can tell the difference between single notes and chords, an optional Line-in so you can hear your guitar in the track and much more.
The app works with any electric or acoustic guitar and comes pre-loaded with instructions and all the various guitar parts for “Come Out and Play (You Gotta Keep ‘Em Separated). Furthermore, users can also download full lessons for “The Kids Aren’t Alright,” and “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” from within the app totally for free. Granted, if you hate The Offspring then this would be the worst possible way to learn the guitar, but for fans this is an awesomely complete app at a shockingly reasonable price.
EA has unveiled a brand new twist on an old classic with the release of Monopoly Hotels. The game takes the familiar red plastic buildings of the game and turns them into living, breathing things as players work to build and manage their very own five-star resorts. Players are tasked with not only building hotels, but maintaining and upgrading them with aquariums, movie theaters, bowling alleys and more. Truly exceptional hotel managers will find VIP guests like Mr. Potato Head and other famous Hasbro figures checking into rooms.
Monopoly Hotels is free to download, with in-app gold purchases available to help players quickly grow their innkeeping empire. As with most games of this type, the speed at which you succeed is largely dependent on how much real-life cash you’re willing to fork over in order to get the upgrades you want right now. Still, this seems like a pretty cool way for Monopoly fans to experience the game in a fun new way.
This week at 148Apps.com, we pined for the release of the newest version of Mac OSX, named Mountain Lion. Brad Hilderbrand writes, “Apple shocked the world today by announcing a brand-new operating system for desktop devices, less than a year after the launch of OS X Lion. Codenamed Mountain Lion, the latest update further blurs the line between home computers and tablets, bringing a host of features that make your MacBook or iMac run more like an iPad.
Our GiggleApps compatriots were busy this week as well, reviewing the latest apps for kids. Amy Solomon reviewed David and Goliath for the iPad (the MVP Edition), and had this to say about it: “The quality of this application is undeniable. Although I am not always a fan of computer-generated animations and the use of 3D effects, the look of this app is impressive, with vivid colors and a thoughtful use of pitch-perfect music that creates an incredibly rich experience. I love the details found throughout from the clouds in the sky and other details of nature as well as textures found within, seen in the tents used often-times as backdrops for these characters. There are also some interesting moments of silhouetting characters for a nice effect that I enjoy.”
iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2011-10-04 :: Category: Books
Finally, 148Apps.biz kept a brisk pace this week as well. Jack-of-all-trades Brad Hilderbrand reported on the success of Apple’s iPhone 4s, saying, “Anyone still wondering if the iPhone 4S was enough of an upgrade to help Apple maintain industry dominance can stop pondering, as a recent report from Gartner claims that Apple has officially surpassed Samsung as the maker of the world’s most-wanted phones. According to the numbers, Apple moved 35.5 million smartphones in Q4 (primarily driven by the iPhone 4S), while Samsung trailed with 34 million. Not only have these numbers allowed Apple to become the dominant force in smartphones, but the company has also surpassed LG to become the third biggest vendor of all mobile devices, period.”
Another week is in the bag, but that doesn’t mean we’re done. No, sir, it doesn’t! Follow us on Twitter or Like us on Facebook to get the latest updates on news, reviews and contests. It really is that simple. See you next week, web-heads!
Bird flingers have a month to get their space-gear ready because Rovio just announced the next Angry Birds game is blasting off on March 22 for the final frontier. Rovio has been teasing press and fans alike with a vague note on their blog saying the 4th game in the franchise, Angry Birds Space, is “a completely new game with innovative new gameplay, but with some of the familiar Angry Birds elements that fans already know and love — plus some surprises! “
The blogsphere is awash with best guesses, including that aliens, not pigs will be the enemy and that gravity will (or won’t) play into the physics. The only non-speculative information comes from VentureBeat. They report that the new game based on uber-hit Angry Birds – which passed 700 million downloads recently and launched last week on Facebook – “will have numerous new characters and players can expect the science part of the game to be physically accurate … On top of launching birds at pigs in zero gravity, the game will have a variety of other gameplay elements, including slow-motion, lightspeed destruction.”
Rovio put out a teaser with a menacing space-faring cardinal and promises more information in early March. It’s a safe bet that this will be even bigger that the Angry Birds Rio movie tie-in from last year, or anything we’ve seen from the Finnish game company so far. We’ll keep you posted as details land here on Earth.
Every time I think I’ve seen it all, an app comes along that proves to me we’ve not yet even scratched the surface. Presenting The Battle of the Wordsmiths, which, dare I say, is the first game to combine chess, collectible cards and the Yoruba visual arts. Yoruba is a region of Nigeria, and the game conveys the area’s native art through character cards which are composed entirely out of words. The result is incredibly hip, and definitely unlike anything else you’ve seen before on iOS.
The starter deck allows players access to Creature and Element cards, and the developer has promised that the deck will be expanded in future updates. We don’t yet know if the expansions will be free or require an in-app purchase, but considering The Battle of the Wordsmiths is free to download, it would make sense to anticipate some sort of freemium model for future additions.
If you’re interested in the game’s art style then check out the intro trailer. Sadly there’s no gameplay to be seen, but you’ll at least get a feel for what the game has to offer visually.
Now I’ll admit that I don’t do much driving nowadays because I use mass transit (i.e. the subway), but I did drive a lot once upon a time. And it was quite the pain to deal with all of the extraneous annoyances like traffic, insurance, and gas. Guess which of those problems Gas Logs addresses?
The latest app from JAS Appications allows users to track their mileage, their spending, etc… All manner of values can be adjusted to fit a user’s region, including gallons/liters, and a number of different currencies. Of course, it just wouldn’t be a JAS Applications app if it didn’t also include a super-useful GPS feature. Which it does. Yup, as expected Gas Logs can do all this in addition to finding nearby gas stations by using the iOS device’s built-in GPS.
Again, someone like myself who doesn’t even own a car won’t have much use for it but there are billions of people out there who drive, and at least millions who own an iPhone. Chances are good that there’s a decent market for something like this.
It’s that time of the week again. Time to get ready to enjoy the weekend, collect a paycheck, and kickback with some iOS games that don’t cost a dime. I mean, We’ve all got bills to pay, right? So why not keep them as low as possible with a healthy amount of App Store frugality?
Fairway Solitaire – Big Fish Games – Golf, gophers, and… playing cards? I guess so. Big Fish Games’ take on the classic single-player affair has certainly seen its fair share of buzz (no pun in intended). Which isn’t too much of a surprise seeing as it’s all super-colorful and addictive. The only thing needed to make it “perfect” is an extremely cheap price tag. Oh wait, it has one of those, too.
Clockwork Brain – Insanely Fun – Mini-game challenges are always popular, and people apparently love to “train” their brains. I blame Nintendo for that one. But thanks to them we have games like Clockwork Brain to pass the time and flex the neurons. Plus it’s got a robot in it. Robots are cool.
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-02-16 :: Category: Games
Trigger Knight – Weird/experimental games always intrigue me. Especially when they involve RPG elements and classic JRPG-inspired visual designs. That, and the concept of a “survival RPG” that utilizes split-second decision making and a single-tap interface just sounds neat. And hey, it’s free so there’s absolutely no harm in checking it out.
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2012-02-15 :: Category: Games
Dancescape – Hmmm… A puzzle game where the puzzles are dance moves. And players have to guide a character through the ruins (and traps) of an ancient civilization. With dancing. Why it’s just insane enough to work!
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-02-16 :: Category: Games
Stromfeld – In a world full of shmups, what’s the harm in adding one more to the library? Silly of me to ask, I know, because there isn’t any harm in doing so. Especially when it’s free. Also it looks kinda cool and features “endless gameplay.” Not a bad deal.
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-02-14 :: Category: Games
Let’s Bowl 2 – Set ‘em up and knock ‘em down using a number of unique balls, each with their own unique performance, through all manner of wacky and colorful alleys. Throw in upgrades that can be purchased with “bowling bucks” and it’s a pretty cool freebie we have here. Just don’t judge it by the catch-phrase. It’s kinda… yeah…
Today is a momentous day, as Apple is counting down to the 25 billionth app downloaded from the App Store. Take a moment to wrap your head around this, that’s roughly 3.5 apps for every single person on the planet Earth. You can check out Apple’s countdown clock and watch it tick towards the magic number: how else are you going to spend a Friday afternoon? Working? Pah, that’s for chumps.
Also, Apple is goosing things along by promising that whoever nabs the 25 billionth app will win a $10,000 App Store gift card. While that won’t buy you every single app ever released it will go a very long way to ensuring you have the most robust collection of games, tools and utilities this side of Cupertino. You better act fast though, because that ticker is moving awfully quick and we fully expect the winning app to be downloaded within the next few hours.
So let us just say congrats to Apple on this momentous occasion. Now if only they would give us a dollar for every app downloaded.
While other services for using iPhones and iPod touches like Joypad begin to focus on controlling other iOS games, what solutions are still in the works for computer gamers interested in using their iOS devices as controllers? Flypad is one solution that’s entering into view. Flypad boasts controls optimized for racing games, using the tilt sensor on the iPhone and iPod touch for steering, and offering touch-based controls for activating nitro, and shifting gears, along with manual gas/brake controls. Right now, the supply of games to play with Flypad is limited, including DiRT 3 and Need for Speed: The Run. As well, it is currently only Windows-only, although plans are in place to expand to Mac, supporting titles like Real Racing. Their other remote control solution Wanderplayer supported the Mac, so this is likely just a matter of time and finding titles to support. Their Twitter account @flypad can be used to request additional titles and for feedback directly with the creators. Flypad is available now from the App Store for free, and the PC client can be downloaded from Flypad’s website.
When CloudOn launched, it was so popular that the service was up and down for several days.. This apparently was just based on usage from United States users, as CloudOn has now announced that their app is available in the UK.
This means that more users will get to use Microsoft Office applications like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel using CloudOn’s cloud computing technologies. As this is a cloud-based solution, there appears to be mild input lag when operating with the apps. Files still can be saved and loaded from Dropbox, although these require to be saved in Office formats; opening up plaintext or markdown formats in Word isn’t possible at the moment. This is all still available for the low, low cost of free as the service begins to roll out. For users looking for a new way to use their familiar Microsoft Office tools directly on their iPad, this is a very viable option.
It’s the end of the week already? The week and the year appear to be flying by, that or I’m getting old. As it’s Friday, again, it’s only right that I discuss five apps and games worth taking the time to look at this weekend and into next week. This week’s offerings are a little app heavy but there’s certainly fun to be had.
Graffiti Me!
Some may see it as unsightly but graffiti can look extremely impressive and artistic when drawn by someone with talent. Graffiti Me! takes that kind of style and offers the ability to turn photos into beautiful and cool graffiti art. Like all the best photo filter apps, it takes seconds to create the effect at the touch of one button, with further control stemming from adjustable parameters.
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2012-02-15 :: Category: Photography
Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space Ep 2
The rabbit and dog detective duo, Sam & Max, have been popular for many years, offering sharp and witty humor and some very surreal storytelling. While Beyond Time and Space has been available on other systems in the past, it’s only now that iOS gamers get the chance to try out the series. This week marked the release of Episode 2, Moai Better Blues, and it’s one of the best of the season.
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-02-16 :: Category: Games
WinZip
WinZip has been saving precious hard drive space for the past 20 years with its leading file compression technology. That technology has now reached iOS, offering users the ability to open and browse Zip files while on the move. Numerous zipped file types can also be previewed covering all the major file extensions.
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-02-13 :: Category: Utilities
Pinmark
There are a ton of different journal apps out there. Pinmark does things a little differently, however, by automatically collecting and organizing the places the user visits as well as the photos they take and music they listen to, all alongside a note taking facility. All information is stored on the iPhone rather than on any remote server and it makes for a great way to look back at places visited to relive some memories of what happened back then.
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2012-02-12 :: Category: Lifestyle
Fractal
Originally a PC and Mac title, Fractal is a puzzle game that will seem quite familiar, yet offers compelling gameplay. Players must manipulate fractals to a gloriously imaginative backdrop and memorable musical score. Think Bejewelled but with more style.
Today is a good day for fans of music like the indigenous folk rock music of southern Papua, New Guinea as NPR has launched an updated version of their music app for the iPad. The newly launched NPR Music is a one-stop listening shop for iPad users, providing free access to basically everything NPR has to offer. Users have access to extensive music collections from a variety of genres, all organized by category for easy perusal. Furthermore, you can check out news, signature NPR programming, listen to live events or even stream entire stations all with a couple taps and swipes.
In a move that will really please audiophiles, NPR Music allows you to save playlists for later offline listening, a free service which normally locked away as a “premium” features in apps like Spotify. We do however assume that at some point the app will bombard you with endless pledge drives until you find some way to insert $20 into your iPad. But isn’t that a small price to pay the first time you whip out your iPad, load up your NPR app and completely blow the minds of your hipster friends?
Apple shocked the world today by announcing a brand-new operating system for desktop devices, less than a year after the launch of OS X Lion. Codenamed Mountain Lion, the latest update further blurs the line between home computers and tablets, bringing a host of features that make your MacBook or iMac run more like an iPad. Here’s a rundown of some of the major additions and how they work.
Messages – Built to replace the current iChat system, the Messages app seamlessly integrates with iMessage, allowing users to chat across platforms. If you’re at work but want to get a message out to a loved one’s iPhone all you have to do is pop into Messages and start typing. The service is free and supports text, photos and even high-def video sharing.
Reminders – Create and organize tasks and to-do lists on your computer, then push them out to all your devices via iCloud. Need to run a bunch of errands this weekend? Reminders has you covered.
Notification Center – Another iOS concept ported over to the Mac, Notification Center groups all your alerts in one place to easily view and/or dismiss at your convenience. No more alerts popping up all over the screen, now things are contained to one place off to the side, minimizing interruption.
Game Center – You know it, you love it, it’s here. Any questions?
For those who can’t get enough, Apple has also released the following video showcasing all the cool new features present in OS X Mountain Lion:
While no price has yet been announced Apple expects to launch Mountain Lion this summer. Furthermore, developers can sign up for access right now and begin tinkering with this new, iOS inspired operating system. Apple has long been the company most devoted to making the desktop and mobile experience as analogous as possible, and things seem to be going to a whole new level with Mountain Lion. In the immortal words of Philip J. Fry, “Shut up and take my money!”
Dream Heights, the new freemium game from Zynga that looks an awful lot like Tiny Tower, has officially been launched on the US App Store. And, proving that gamers have long and vengeful memories, the title has promptly been slammed with a whole mess of One Star reviews. Choice morsels include “Blatant copy of Tiny Tower mechanics /w a Zynga art dept. skin. But I have to say, the way Zynga innovated with regards to being stingy with in app currency is nothing short of ground breaking,” and “Wow, not a Tiny Tower ripoff. Not at all. Completely different in every way.” As of right now the game has received 311 One Star ratings, but that number has been largely overwhelmed by the 1263 Five Star ratings it’s also seen.
Zynga has been accused of shady business practices in the past, but this time around the community seems to be taking particular offense. Part of the controversy stems from the fact that Zynga attempted to buy outTiny Tower developer Nimblebit at one point, but was refused. Thus, many are taking the launch of Dream Heights as a slap in the face to the smaller company. Still, it seems the rage has all but abated, and it appears Zynga may weather the fury of the Internet and come away largely unscathed. The game is currently averaging a Four Star overall review score, and the average iOS social gamer is probably largely unaware of the controversy. We’ll wait a bit and see if there’s any long-term effects, but for now it seems that Zynga’s future (and stock price) remains mostly unaffected.
Junk mail. Yuck. Not only is it annoying, it’s also a terrible waste. All those circulars about sales no one cares about involving products nobody wants… At least those unsolicited emails from Nigerian princes don’t waste any paper. Well now there’s this neat little app that will theoretically put a stop to most of these unwanted advertisements.
There are a thousand different ways to learn how to play guitar, but have you ever wanted to do it by playing along to Offspring songs on your iPad? Of course you did! And as luck would have it now you can with Rock Prodigy. The app is a fully-featured guitar trainer, allowing users to play along with three different Offspring songs and learn all the riffs made famous by Dexter and Noodles. The feature list is pretty staggering, showcasing a chromatic tuner, the ability to slow down, loop or auto pause tracks, polyphonic pitch detection that can tell the difference between single notes and chords, an optional Line-in so you can hear your guitar in the track and much more.
EA has unveiled a brand new twist on an old classic with the release of Monopoly Hotels. The game takes the familiar red plastic buildings of the game and turns them into living, breathing things as players work to build and manage their very own five-star resorts. Players are tasked with not only building hotels, but maintaining and upgrading them with aquariums, movie theaters, bowling alleys and more. Truly exceptional hotel managers will find VIP guests like Mr. Potato Head and other famous Hasbro figures checking into rooms. 
This week at 
Finally, 148Apps.biz kept a brisk pace this week as well. Jack-of-all-trades 
The blogsphere is awash with best guesses, including that aliens, not pigs will be the enemy and that gravity will (or won’t) play into the physics. The only non-speculative information comes from 
Every time I think I’ve seen it all, an app comes along that proves to me we’ve not yet even scratched the surface. Presenting The Battle of the Wordsmiths, which, dare I say, is the first game to combine chess, collectible cards and the Yoruba visual arts. Yoruba is a region of Nigeria, and the game conveys the area’s native art through character cards which are composed entirely out of words. The result is incredibly hip, and definitely unlike anything else you’ve seen before on iOS.
Now I’ll admit that I don’t do much driving nowadays because I use mass transit (i.e. the subway), but I did drive a lot once upon a time. And it was quite the pain to deal with all of the extraneous annoyances like traffic, insurance, and gas. Guess which of those problems Gas Logs addresses?
:: TEMPTINGLY FUN
Today is a good day for fans of music like the indigenous folk rock music of southern Papua, New Guinea as NPR has launched an updated version of their music app for the iPad. The newly launched NPR Music is a one-stop listening shop for iPad users, providing free access to basically everything NPR has to offer. Users have access to extensive music collections from a variety of genres, all organized by category for easy perusal. Furthermore, you can check out news, signature NPR programming, listen to live events or even stream entire stations all with a couple taps and swipes. 
Apple shocked the world today by announcing a brand-new operating system for desktop devices, less than a year after the launch of OS X Lion. Codenamed 
Dream Heights, the new freemium game from Zynga that looks an 
