Tag: Favorite four »

Apple has done a lot to improve the native camera app with iOS 5 and lucky iPhone 4S owners are already taking the highest quality iPhone images ever. But, even with the tune up, many of the most requested features from manual adjustments to photo bursts, darkroom effects to more sharing options (Facebook anyone?) are still lacking. But, the app store is filled with alternatives so this week we look at our favorite four camera replacement apps.

Camera+

Camera+ has been the top camera replacement app almost since its launch in June 2010 and gets frequent updates keeping it at the top of the charts and this list. The app allows uses to users to set focus and exposure manually like a real camera, uses the iPhone 4 LED flash as a continuous fill light to brighten up dark settings, has image stabilization and a 6x digital zoom that really pulls the action in. Camera+ allows for photo editing, has a lot of effects, and has plenty of social media integration for easy photo sharing.

Camera Genius

For still and video Camera Genius replaces the native camera app with 6x digital zoom, a full screen button to make it easy to snap pics on the fly, a timer, image stabilization and a mini burst mode which will take three action shots rapidly. The app also helps iPhoneographers and videographers shoot clean with a Photo Composition Guide and of course, lots of sharing capabilities.

Camera Plus Pro

Camera Pro Plus is all about speed. The developers claim it is the fastest camera app, and while we can’t verify that, it is zippy. This app features live video and still filters so users can preview effects before snapping and add them in one step. Burst mode is particularly useful for action settings allowing for 40 shots to be taken in rapid succession and the app has an array of editing and darkroom effects, private photo and video collection storage, even photo transfer via Wi-Fi along with the requisite social network sharing options.

King Camera

King Camera is a newcomer to the App Store. It's a powerful, fast and responsive app with some cool features missing from others on this list including the ability to shoot time lapse photography and stop motion animation. The app controls the video camera too and adds a big button to both along with a rule of 3rds grid and integrates a flashlight feature for low-lighting situations. For stills there is also exposure and white balance lock, a self-timer, anti-shake even photo backup. The app also has some fairly robust photo editing abilities, the requisite fun filters and, you guessed it, lots of easy social media sharing with a tap. The French Canadian company behind the app even had a commercial shot for local TV using only images taken with an iPhone and the King Camera app - judge for yourselves.

For those accustomed to adding feeds to their Google Reader account as they surf the web, finding the right iPad client is essential. Some focus more on features, some on the reading experience and others combine elements of both. This week we look at our favorite four Google Reader apps for iPad. If we missed your favorite please let us know in the comments.

Feedler

Feedler RSS Reader for iPad and iPhone is a free zippy Google Reader client with a lot of functionality. The app supports multiple accounts, allows for extensive feed management, and caches feeds for offline reading. The support for notes and comments is especially handy. The Pro version also includes syncing subscriptions, photo caching and much more social media support.

Reeder for iPad

For a simple, clean Google Reader experience Reeder for iPad is a great choice. Feeds are displayed as stacks of unread paper. The reading experience is smooth, marking items read or unread is all done with a single finger swipe and articles can be saved to ReadItLater, Instapaper or Readability for offline access. An iPhone version is sold separately.

Mr Reader

Mr. Reader has both style and substance. The interface is intuitive and clean, and background updating makes it very fast. The app allows for a great deal of feed management and has a thumbpad for easy navigation. Like most readers, there is support for offline reading via the likes of Instapaper and social network integration, but Mr. Reader even allows articles to be sent to a Kindle, Mac and more.

River of News - RSS Google Reader

A critical darling, River of News focues on simplicity. The key feature, “infinite scrolling” allows readers to navigate their feeds using simple gestures in a clean interface. The app syncs with Google Reader in real time, has extensive social network integration and just looks good.

There is a lot to get done at this time of year and dozens of apps to help us stay on top of all of everything. There are some great full-featured task-managing systems and calendars on the App Store, but this week we wanted to focus on apps that keep it simple. Here are four to do list apps that will keep users on task and on budget. If we missed your favorite be sure to let us know.

Wunderlist

Wunderlist is a robust cross-platform task management app . It uses cloud syncing to keep information up-to-date across all of a user’s iOS devices. Wunderlist allows for list sharing, email reminders and push and badge notices and even lets users customize the look. The app allows for a lot of detail, sorting is easy and best of all it’s not ad-supported and there are no in-app purchases. Wunderlist is completely free.

InstaTodo

InstaTodo allows users to quickly enter and manage a to do list. The app uses task hierarchies to keep a user focused on what’s most important and allows for sub-task lists to handle complicated projects. It also has reminders, sharing and all the task management features expected from a full-features to do app. What sets InstaTodo apart, however, is its use of templates. The app comes with dozens of general use templates that can be further customized, or any user-created list can be saved as a template for future use.

Do It (Tomorrrow) HD

A procrastinator’s friend, Do It (Tomorrow) is the simplest of task managers. This has a gorgeous GUI and a single focus- what needs to be done today, and what can be put off until tomorrow. Users quickly and easily create a to-do list that looks handwritten, and either tick off completed tasks or shunt projects to tomorrow. While it sounds simple, it actually is really helpful when managing the small details that come up every day – the ones that no one has time to enter into a complicated calendar app. The paid HD version syncs lists across devices.

List Buddy

This to do app prides itself on simplicity and flexibility. The GUI is clean and uncluttered and the app allows unlimited list and sub-list creation. List Buddy has "One Touch Delete" for removing multiple lists or items at a time and an internal search function. List Buddy even remembers previous entries - when it recognizes the first few letters of a new item it will fill in the rest. The sorting options are extensive, sharing is easy and multiple list management is built right in.

The multi-touch screen has allowed the creation of apps that make digital painting feel as natural as dragging a finger across a canvas. That’s because that is precisely what they do. The iPad changed the digital painting scene even further with its large bright screen capable of replicating the size and feel of a sketchpad or canvas. This week we’ve collected or four favorite apps that let us paint and draw like the pros.

Procreate

With a powerful paint engine, desktop-quality tools and brushes Procreate is a standout. Work effortlessly with up to 16 layers with 100 undo/redo levels. There is zero lag –painting is in real time. The interface is clean and intuitive. What separates procreate from other painting apps is the brush selection. There are 12 pre-sets, which allow for an amazing amount of configurability, but Procreate is also the only app that allows users create and import their own brushes. This gives the serious and detail-oriented artist the tools to create precisely what they need.

Sketch Club

Aside from offering high quality standard painting and sketching features Sketch Club also lets users create pixel-art. Another feature that makes Sketch Club an original is that users can record themseves making art and upload the video to YouTube from within the app. There is also an active user-community where are masterpieces can be shared and even critiqued.

Zen Brush

Whether for sketching, doodling or calligraphy, Zen Brush is an amazingly simple, elegant and fluid app. Background templates simulate 29 surfaces, many porous most distinct. Users control brush size and opacity, but that’s about it. Its simplicity is truly Zen and the results anyonecan achieve regardless of training or experience are stunning. Easy posting to Twitter is incorporated.

ArtRage

ArtRage may not the professional’s choice, but no other painting app we’ve tried does so much so easily. It keeps track of how much paint is on the canvas, so users can blend colors under the brush, or lay down thick lines of pigment from a tube for flattening with palette knives. Watercolors react to the wetness of the brush and paper beneath, and canvas grain affects the look of brushstrokes. Drier pigments break up on the surface to create textured effects. ArtRage allows photo to be imported and converted them to oils for smearing. Pics can also be pinned to the canvas to serve as a guide.

Stocks took a serious tumble this week, and it's no secret the global economy is precarious to say the least. But there are small things we all can do to make at least our home finances and debt management work better and start saving for the future. We have collected our favourite four apps for that purpose, with the hopes that making small local changes prompts everyone to push for big global changes too.

Economy

For most of us, making heads or tails of all the information, and misinformation, on the US economy is all but impossible. Cascade Software offers a quality at-a-glance solution for making sense of the headlines and reports, and more importantly, what they mean to us. The app, while not officially endorsed by any federal or state agency, is powered by FRED API which is the Economic Research Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The app provides users with information on key economic indicators and visual data in the form of easy-to-read graphs that track everything from GDP over time, to which party was in power during any dips. Find employment, housing, inflation, manufacturing and other stats, as well as current North American exchange rates. All 50 states are tracked by five key economic indicators as well, to make sure local information is as clear as national trends.

Pageone Pro - Money And Bills

Pageonce - Money and Bills allows users to track and organize credit cards, investments, bank accounts and cash. The app sends real-time alerts when a payment is due or other action is required. It's a very versatile expense tracker allowing for monitoring of frequent flier miles, cell minutes, data usage and other features, iOS will users will find especially helpful. The app even alerts users to potentially fraudulent charges, and helps track and mange debts, The free version is ad-supported, for the $12.99 Pro users get an ad-free interface as well as a "refresh all" option and unlimited tracking of manually entered expenses and bills. Both versions sync securely with many major US banks, credit unions and credit card providers.

Bills ~ on your table

Looking for something a bit simpler to just stay on top of recurring bills? Bills ~ on your table has a beautiful interface, especially on iPad. This award winning financial app lets users track regular expenses with ease. The app is not meant to track one time charges, it's a monthly (or weekly) reminder system that sends a push notification and accompanying sound-alert to remind users when it's time to pay that credit card bill, mortgage or car payment or tuition. The app uses clound syncing to make sure all members of the household have the same information, and it allows for partial payments which is helpful for managing large debts. There are 170 currencies supported making it a truly global app. A free online user account is required.

iAllowance (allowance and Chore Tracker w/Sync)

Remember piggy banks? Well, while teaching kids the value of money has never been more important, leave the breakable cute containers in the past and get serious about money with kids using iAllowance. It's a universal app that allows parents to create banks for multiple children and sync those accounts with the rest of the family across devices. The app can handle automatic payments, chore tracking and even calculate interest on the various banks as required. This app allows not just for multiple kids, but multiple accounts, so if your teen has an iTunes allowance and a recreation allowance they can be easily created, managed, and funded separately. In lieu of actual money, parents can opt for a star rewards system, and the app has AirPrint and Dropbox support and parental controls.

Trivia games are always crowd pleasers, and just about every game show has a iOS game counterpart. So do the biggest board games. But, while often top sellers, they don’t always represent the best games. We’ve collected our favortie four trivia games for you here. If we missed your favorite let us know.

Big Brain Quiz

For traditional trivia buffs looking for a broad range of subjects, we really like Big Brain Quiz. It's free and the questions are all over the map from technology to music, sports to celebs. The animations are well done and there is Facebook integration with a decent-sized community. The game comes with over 3000 questions, and there are a lot of add-on packs available for purchase in-app. The developers add seasonal content for free and host periodic contests with deluxe question sets as prizes.

You Don’t Know Jack

If genuine humor served up with anything from Shakespeare to flatulence is more appealing than straight trivia, You Don’t Know Jack is a fantastic option. The game is done in a pseudo tv-show style, like something you might find on MTV - it did actually lead to a short lived broadcast. The game is clever and polished with real laugh-out-loud moments and integrated Facebook score posting. A free light version is also available.

MovieCat!

MovieCat! may actually be funnier than You Don’t Know Jack - at least it gives it a good run for the money. It’s certainly the most original title of the bunch. Instead of clips from actual films players get movie trivia from scenes performed by the “kitty cast of players” and nine lives to beat five rounds of inventive puzzles and trivia challenges. There are additional puzzle packs for in-app purchase with extra “cat scenes” included and Facebook bragging is built in.

Animal Planet: Trivia Challenge

Ok, so we have to forgo Facebook with this one, but animal lovers can still show off their skills in Game Center with the trivia game brought to iOS by the cable television channel that bears the same name. As one would expect, the variety of animals and facts have outstanding breath and the app has a library of high-quality images of animals in their natural habitats from the channel’s archives. The game comes with 2000 questions and an additional 1000 for in-app purchase, has multiple difficulty settings to engage kids but challenge adults, and has great video.

There are so many different types of travel apps we decided to focus this week not only on those that simplify travel in general, but those geared to air travel and travel abroad. Most of the apps are useful for road trips and or as general reference apps as well. These are our top picks that work on all iOS Devices and will help make getting to, staying at, and getting home from any destination easier.

TripIt - Travel Organizer

Travel can be a hassle, especially when flying and dealing with delays and cancellations and landing in a new place with a rental car and no idea where to go. Tripit is a one-stop app for travel organization and flight information. Users can access all their travel plans on a single device no matter where a flight was booked. Fliers do have to forward their confirmation numbers to the tripit website, but then they get "smartineraries" which include driving directions and maps to relevant destinations. The app will send alerts if a booked flight is late or off the tarmac altogether - even provide alternative travel options. There are additional services available to pro users for an annual subscription fee.

Flight Track Pro

Import flight data automatically from any airline confirmation email and get push notifications of real-time changes to any flight. Also access flight itinerary updates, and detailed zoomable maps that work offline. FlightTrack has fewer bells and whistles than the Pro version, and is suitable for occasional travellers. The Pro version has everything frequent fliers need to stay on top of the most complicated intineraries. Features include automatic itinerary synching with TripIt (see above,) iPhone calendar sync, and the ability to share flight status by email, Facebook or Twitter.

Packing Pro

Packing Pro is a must-have travel app. As the name suggests, the app ensures a single traveller or someone packing for a group doesn't forget anything at home. The universal app is feature-packed with packing features. There is expert list assistance which are essentially several packing templates for both genders and different ages. Also, users have the ability to create up to eight lists at once. The app has themes and includes suggested lists for everyone from campers to business travellers. There is a master list of over 400 items and of course, users can add their own items. The best part - the app syncs across devices so users can create lists for everyone in their party or family and share them easily.

XE Currency

Travelling internationally this summer? Then we hope you remember how many Euros there are in a US Dollar. Having the right currency and understanding its worth in Dollars or Pounds or Rupees can make the difference between an easy trip full of shopping and even saving, to being left without local currency when needed most. No app can guarantee exact rates, but XE Currency has close to real-time information and generally trusted information. This a great app for day-to-day international commerce as well.

With my recent review of Music Hunter, I'm in the mood to share my favorite apps for music discovery in this weeks Favorite Four.

Music Hunter
Since I already mentioned Music Hunter, let's start with that. Despite its cheesy name, Music Hunter provides an experience rivaled by no other music app. The app is visually pleasing and has an almost limitless potential (I think the samples it uses are pulled from iTunes). I've already browsed for a few hours in my couple of days with the app and added a ton of songs to my favorites list. While the app is only $0.99, it will lead to MUCH more spending from leading users to buy tons of music (except for those those shady pirates). Unfortunately for iPhone users, Music Hunter is iPad only.

Rdio
Rdio isn't a direct music discovery tool, but it definitely aids the music discovery process. Rdio is one of three major music subscriptions services (Rhapsody and MOG being the other two). For $9.99 a month (for mobile access), Rdio allows access to millions of songs and even allows downloading to mobile devices (stop paying for the service and the songs are no longer available). After finding new songs on Music Hunter, I went right over to Rdio and added nearly all of them to my collection. Rdio has a free 7-day trial; it can't hurt to check it out.

Discovr
Discovr, like Music Hunter, provides a visually stimulating music discovery experience in an audio-focused app. I enjoy Music Hunter more, mainly because I can sit back and it will play through samples until I tell it something (Discovr's samples must be tapped each time). But Discovr's mindmap-ish view of artists takes a fun angle to the browsing experience. One thing Discovr has over Music Hunter is the sheer volume of information provided for each artist: samples from most albums, blog posts, reviews, biographies, links, and YouTube videos. Discovr is geared toward people who are interested in finding artists and Music Hunter toward people interested in finding songs.

Aweditorium
I can't talk about music discovery without bringing up Aweditorium. Aweditorium was the first music discovery app I used that focused on the visual experience. Pictures of artists are tiled on a huge moving wall. Tapping on one starts one of their songs and provides information on the artist. What's unique about Aweditorium compared to the other music discovery apps is that it's filled with independent artists. So Aweditorium is a must-have for any music discovery enthusiast; the songs on Aweditorium aren't likely to be found on other apps. This one is iPad only like Music Hunter.

The only two things which are certain are death and taxes. Well, we've covered the former extensively, so here come the taxes. Especially since this week (in the US, anyway) is the deadline for filing yours! So I present to you our favorite apps for helping you out in the otherwise treacherous waters of Income Tax Filing.

TurboTax SnapTax

Quite possibly the simplest, easiest and hassle-free way to file your taxes. I have rarely seen an app get such uniformly positive reviews on the App Store. You know you're living in the future when you can take a photo of your W2 and practically everything is taken care of for you. There's no need to manually enter your income information, just answer a few basic questions and you can file right from within the app. While the app is free, you will need to pay $19.99 to process and file, which personally seems like a bargain considering the minimal effort involved.

A great choice for most, but not everyone, read the caveats included on the iTunes descriptions page to make sure this is right for you, if not, you could also check out the TurboTax iPad app which offers more options.

H&R Block Tax Central

If you're looking for something more along the lines of a general guide to tax preparation than I suggest the H&R Block app. It offers a great sort of FAQ and guide to filling out your forms. It also includes a checklist to make sure you have all of your required paperwork, or estimate what your return might be. It's geared towards getting you into H&R Block, so you'll also be able to search for nearby offices. While acting more as an overall guide, it's still very useful and handy information to have around, especially since most of the information is available offline.

IRS Regulations (Title 26 Code of Federal Regulations - Internal Revenue)

A serious title for a seriously hefty app. While I realize that most people won't need a copy of this hefty tome, I'm certain that those who do would very much appreciate the work put into this app, and making the entire Code (all 39.4 MB of it) available on their iPhone or iPad with full search integration. It also offers highlighting, bookmarking and sharing via email of any section of the code. While there are several similar apps available, this one really seems to offer the best user interactivity. Most importantly, it's the most recently updated for this tax season.

MyTaxRefund

Perhaps you've not procrastinated your way through April, and actually got your filing done already. If you've E-Filed than you simply have to get MyTaxRefund to track your refund. It'll update for the status of your return, alert you if for any reason it was rejected, and best of all it will estimate the time that your return will be back to you. It's simple, it's free, but it works.

I didn't want to include two apps from the same developer, but I simply couldn't overlook this. TurboTax is doing a phenomenal job in taking on the app world for tax season.

Today's favorite four roundup will focus on our inner calm, and our outer flexibility as I rundown the most popular and my personal favorite Yoga apps for all of your iOS devices. Most apps offer useful information for everyone from a beginner to someone who practises Yoga daily. From within this list you should find a great app to get you into the fantastic (and relaxing) world of Yoga.

Authentic Yoga with Deepack Chopra and Tara Stiles

This is perhaps one of the best and most well known Yoga app available for the iPhone. Garnering more media attention than any other Yoga app I've seen, the star power of New Age guru Deepack Chopra and all-star Yoga instructor Tara Stiles launches this app into a category all it's own. Offering informative videos, detailed instructions, and customizable routines, this app has it all. While rather download-heavy, I'd say don't stray far from a Wifi connection when using this app.

All-In Yoga HD

Another powerhouse of an app, and nominated in our very own Best App Ever awards last year. All-In Yoga HD is hands-down the most comprehensive app you'll find, anywhere, about Yoga. It offers not only 200+ poses, with detailed video and audio instructions, but also a host of ready-made routines, and an entirely personalized option to built your own routines. Being on the iPad it offers something the other apps on this list can't, huge beautiful, detailed instructions and photos to help you better understand and practise yoga.

Worth checking out the iPhone version, too. Wouldn't it be delightful if they released a Universal app?

YOGAmazing - Yoga Video App

For fans of the YOGAmazing podcast, this is the companion app that goes perfectly alongside (or to replace) the video podcast. While you'll only have a limited number of archived podcasts to choose from if you subscribe via iTunes, you'll have up to 50 videos to choose from with exclusive content in this app. His videos usually sell from $3.99-$9.99 on iTunes (or on his website), but for one low price you'll get the most recent content delivered strait to your iPhone with the Video App.

Pure Yoga - AmbiScience

While not strictly speaking a Yoga app, this ambient music/noise app *was* designed specifically to be used while practising Yoga. For those familiar with the AmbiScience/Tesla Software products, you'll immediately realize how the music and Brainwave Enterainment can work together to help you achieve mediation and relaxation during your Yoga workout. These specific developers offer some of the best abient music apps, and focusing specifically on Yoga offering 10 tracks and four Binaural undertones. The perfect accompaniment to your Yoga sessions.

If you're anything like me, you're probably attached at the hip to your social networks. However, I know I'm not the only one who has many that I've abandoned simply out of frustration of having to constantly check and update different pages or apps for each one. With this in mind I've put together a Favorite Four that the update-aholics can appreciate. Here are a few of my favorite iPhone apps to update multiple sites at once.

Tweetdeck
I put this one here first not because it's necessarily the best, but it is definitely one of the more well-known. Tweetdeck is what I personally use most often since I've cut down my addiction to just the essentials, Twitter and Facebook, which is exactly just what Tweetdeck works with. It's a great app for both reading and updating. While it hasn't been updated in many months, it is still very useful and you can't argue with free!

Sociable
The definition of simplicity. A newer app that simply allows you to post to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Myspace. While as of now there isn't the option to post photos with your status messages, it's one of the most cleanly designed apps I've seen that handles multiple accounts. For the newer user this is a fantastic place to start and hopefully in future updates they'll add more features without cluttering it up.

Pingle
If you looking for the simplicity offered with something like Sociable, but you're looking to update up to 40 Social Networking sites at once, you'll want to get your hands on Pingle. It uses your ping.fm account (which you do have to set up separately on the site) to post to all of your subscribed networks. Unfortunately it hasn't been updated in over a year, and probably won't work with some of the newer iOS functions like multitasking. Still one of the best (and only) Ping.fm apps available.

Pixelpipe
I should start by saying this is probably for Advanced Users Only, not a beginners app. Like ping.fm Pixelpipe offers uploading to 75 Social Networking and Blogging sites. One of the best and most unique abilities of this app is the option to batch-send photos to Facebook, which is something most apps lack, and a feature I think most people would love. You'll have to understand the settings and how to post to each type of feed, but once you do it's simply one of the best multiple-site apps available.

Light was shined on the darkness surrounding iPad 2 this week, with Apple formally launching the new device on March 2, shipping nine days later on the 11th of the month. In addition to a new, thinner and lighter design, engineers have packed in two cameras (720p HD for the back), a CPU upgrade in the form of an all-new A5 dual core processor and a gyroscope as found as in the iPhone 4. All the while, battery life and price remain the same as in the previous generation. Interestingly, and to the disappointment of many, the screen is the same 1024x768, 132ppi 9.7" model found in iPad 1 - no match for the iPhone 4, which packs in 326ppi all within its 3.5" display.

On the software front, iOS 4.3 will be available to download on March 11 also, featuring two new applications built for a selection of iOS devices: Facetime and Photobooth. These two applications, already available for Mac, will come pre-installed with iOS 4.3, meaning there's no downloading necessary. with regards to iMovie for iPhone, Apple are upgrading the application to a universal build - meaning iPhone 3GS/4 owners will be able to reap the benefits of the on-the-go movie creator on their iPad. Garageband is coming to iPad also, sporting the same $4.99 price tag as iMovie.

This week, 148Apps awarded the Editor's Choice badge to Guitar World Lick of the Day, created by Agile Partners, for its consistent re-use / replay value, as well as a beautiful user interface. "This app is pure guitar gold," writes Jason Fanguy. "Regardless of your playing-level, Guitar World Lick of the Day evens your playing field, providing access to quality tools and resources that would normally cost hundreds of dollars, at a minimum, in instructor fees." The application itself is free to download, with a number of different in-app purchases to choose from, ranging from 11 months of licks ($4.99) to 33 months of licks ($12.99). As the name suggests, a new lick is available to download each and every day.

In other news, two weeks ago Carter Dotson commented on physical gaming solutions for the iPad. This week, Carter took one of the solutions - namely JOYSTICK-IT - for a test drive. "Games with fixed firing joysticks work wonderfully with the JOYSTICK-IT. Games like Gun Bros., Etolis Arena, and Infinity Field feel remarkably natural with the the joystick, and you will notice an accuracy improvement while playing the game" he writes, but goes on to warn: "There’s just too many ifs, ands, and buts to properly recommend the JOYSTICK-IT, because of its design limiting the number of games it works with."

Favorite 4 takes a turn to productivity this week, with Chris Hall focusing on four note taking applications. Simplenote, Evernote, NotePad Pro and PhatPad all made the list this week, each with different strengths and syncing options. And on a final note, Episode 74 of The Portable Podcast is now available to download, with guests Defek Laufman from Halfbot and the developers of Haypi Kingdom.

That's all for this week - and remember, 148Apps has specially built feeds to bring you all of the latest news, top applications and price drops right to your RSS feed, Twitter and Facebook accounts. So really, why go elsewhere?

One of the great things about iOS and the App Store has been that it's allowed plenty of unique new ideas from small developers no one had ever heard of, which has brought about plenty of fun titles that might not have ever existed. However, fun games are fun games, even if they're from franchises that have been kicking around before some of us were even born. With that in mind, here are 4 of the finest examples of established gaming franchises making appearances on iOS.

Street Fighter IV: Playing a fighting game on a touch screen seems like a bad idea - until you actually play this version of the most recent major Street Fighter game on your device. The on-screen joystick is nothing short of a miracle - all the special moves are easily executed in an accurate way using just a virtual joystick, which is just another knock against the Xbox 360 controller's terrible d-pad. While the character roster is smaller than the console versions, Capcom has added characters since its release, almost doubling the original roster, along with Game Center achievement support. And of course, there's Bluetooth multiplayer for beating up your friends in ways that are less likely to damage your relationship or get you arrested.

Space Invaders Infinity Gene: This starts out looking and playing like the original Space Invaders game. Within minutes, the game is something else entirely, a shoot 'em up that is intense and visually dynamic. The game is just familiar enough to make you feel comfortable, but this game takes Space Invaders in a direction you may have never imagined it going, and it makes for a great shoot 'em up experience. The game has also gotten Game Center and Universal app support since its release, so if you haven't checked it out lately, it's worth picking up again.

NBA Jam: The classic arcade basketball game has been revived on iOS by EA. Everything that made the game so great back when it came out in the early '90s, from the flashy dunks, enthusiastic commentary from Tim Kitzrow, the thrill of hitting a three-point shot from the other side of the court to win a game, and the ability to play as a variety of characters who would otherwise be odd fits in realistic basketball games are all here. The controls are part of what make this game play so well on iOS - either the virtual buttons or gesture-based system both work well to play the game. The whole game still feels as fun as it did back when it first came out, and it feels remarkably fresh just because there's been little else like it in recent years.

Pac-Man Championship Edition: Pac-Man might be the first game many people remember ever playing - the formula of ghosts, dots and power pellets is ingrained into people's skulls by this point. What can you change to make the formula fresh? Well, how about the levels? By introducing dynamic levels that change as you clear out the board, the experience becomes something completely different, and with the ability to rack up even bigger point bonuses by continuously eating ghosts when you have the power pellet (since they are more plentiful due to them replenishing every time you eat a fruit to refresh one half of the board), you get a game that feels familiar but fresh, just as great entry in a licensed series should feel.

You are sitting in the boardroom and you forgot to bring your “notebook” so you can take “notes” during the meeting. We all know you are just going to draw houses, spirals and other miscellaneous items instead of jotting down those all important budget numbers. Why not take those doodles to the next level with some chalk or fire? Four great ways to get your doodles on is easily attainable in one of these four apps:

Sketchbook Pro:
For the more serious doodlers, or dare I say artists, Sketchbook Pro is a great way to do some serious doodles. Multi-touch, 75 brushes, six layers, blend modes barely explain the power of this app. I mean when Penny-Arcade is able to put out a comic completely drawn with this app, what more endorsement could you possible ask? A lot of power resides in this hefty app, and it just needs you to unlock it.

Sidewalk Chalk:
You may tell people you are getting this for your kids, but we all know the big child in you misses drawing on sidewalks! With the help of Sidewalk Chalk, you do not need to push your kids out the door so you can get your chalky doodles on. Complete with different colors, an array of backgrounds, and even the ability to email drawings to people in your address book so they can print out the doodles and bring a new meaning to fridge art. You do not even have to worry about the rain washing away all that hard work.

iBurn 3 – Draw With Fire!:
Time to play with fire! Okay, not literally, but you can doodle with it thanks to the powers of iOS. Not only can you draw with twelve different variations of fire colors, but you can also load up pictures and lay waste to them with your fire art. Once the fire has been put down you can shake and tilt your iPhone to watch the fire dance. All the fun of playing with fire, none of the complaints from Smokey the Bear.

Sand Garden:
At the end of a stressful day, a sand garden will go light-years to helping you wash away the stress of TPS reports and Lumberg complaining about your lack of motivation. Sand Garden not only gives you a great looking sandbox, but you can also put some rocks in it for that authentic Zen garden feel. 3D modeling and different lighting effects even help put that extra bit of polish on your garden of peace. Sometimes, you just need a sandbox to doodle in to help take the cares of the world off your shoulders.

Sequels seem to be all the rage these days with Gangstar this and Halo that... heck, three of the games in the App Store top 10 are sequels, and if you count Tiger Woods you have four. As much as people like sequels, there's nothing that is quite like snuggling up to a nice, cozy retro game. Well, nothing except for the hell-spawn of the retro games themselves.

They aren't quite sequels, but they are definitely retro inspired - and that makes them awesome in a deranged slasher film kind of way.

Be2: Escape From Pongland - People have been playing the simple game of Pong for almost 40 years without caring too much for the well-being of the little dot that gets knocked around by the paddles. As any prisoner, the dot wanted freedom, and Be2 is the game about its escape.

You start out the game in a normal Pong screen and then break out into the Alice in Wonderland-esque world of Pongland. The game is filled with creepy rooms, stages inspired by numerous retro games, and a witty, but slightly creepy inner monologue to guide you through.

Speaking of creepy, the New Orleans jazz track that starts the game is about as creepy as it gets. Nothing about the song itself is creepy, but the whole thing feels like the start (or the end) of a creepy Kubrick movie.

Space Invaders: Infinity Gene - Space Invaders was long my dads favorite game on Atari. For some reason or another, an entire generation of gamers were drawn into a zombie-like trance by a little space ship that would destroy wave after wave of enemy ships.

Infinity Gene steps way outside the box and creates an unforgettably sexed up techno remix. The game resembles the original in that you have to kill the invading aliens, but the graphics and colors added to the original are striking. Also striking is the fact that the music (either the built in stuff or whatever you decide to play) actually jives with the action on screen.

This is the one retro game remix that actually outshines the original. It's fantastic.

Super Mega Worm - Is it a stretch to call Super Mega Worm a rethinking of the retro game, Snake? Yes, but the games do resemble each other in the fact that you have to eat something. Fine, maybe it's a stretch, but the game is extremely fun and undoubtedly retro.

In full retro graphics glory, your worm must survive by eating all the humans, vehicles, and wildlife that inhabit the above ground world. The first few levels are quite simple because nobody is savvy to your worm attacks, but after a few levels you'll have all sorts of troops and worm haters to deal with.

Super Mega Worm isn't the most involved game, nor does it have the best graphics, but it does offer a serious dose of fun. There's just nothing quite like bouncing off of trucks to munch on airplanes flying overhead.

So Long. Oregon! - As I wrote in the original review, "So Long, Oregon is the techno destruction of my Oregon Trail playing childhood." The game takes the typical game of Oregon Trail and blows it up, turning the whole game into a physics racer with a bit of bizarre hunting. The graphics are all dark and neon, buffalo are flying around the sky, and people get hurt and die at a pace that is probably far more accurate to the actual event.

To be honest, the game really isn't that good. It's a big, messy disaster... but it's my big messy disaster. I'd definitely recommend the game to just about anyone, but there is a very distinct chance that the vast majority of gamers will just stare in horror.