Having spent a decent portion of my retail career involved in the children’s section of a bookstore, I think I have a solid grasp of what makes for popular literature among parents and their children. There’s always one or two “flavors of the week,” but there are also those that always sell. Where the Wild Things Are. The Velveteen Rabbit. Virtually anything written by Mo Willems or Sandra Boynton. Sitting proudly at the top of this list are the works of the undisputed monarch of children’s literature, Dr. Seuss.
Theodor Seuss Geisel‘s stories have been adapted for all manner of medium, not surprisingly including iOS. Oceanhouse Media has been offering special adaptations, referred to as “omBooks” for portable Apple devices for quite a while now. These special not-quite-ebooks allow users to flip through their virtual pages normally, have the stories read to them at a set pace (not unlike a movie) or a hybrid of the two that narrates while emphasizing key words.
While individual Seuss classics have been available in this form for quite some time, Oceanhouse has released their first-even multi-title collection. The Dr. Seuss Beginner Book Collection #1 features five of (arguably) his most well-known works: The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, The FOOT Book, Mr. Brown Can MOO! Can You? and Fox in Socks. Five classics, no waiting. Well, depending on one’s WiFi speed, anyway.
This collection is on the App Store right now for $11.99. I know it may seem like a lot, but buying each of these omBooks individually would cost around $15 or so. And that’s after the price drops in celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Anyone with an appreciation for all things Seuss should certainly check this out.
This week at 148Apps.com, we opened the floodgates for the 2011 Best App Ever Awards. Site founder Jeff Scott writes, “In its fourth year, the Best App Ever awards is a people’s choice awards for apps. Last year over 500,000 votes were cast in the quest to find the best apps, not just the best selling. This year it’s back bigger and better than ever. In a big change this year, not just iOS but also Android applications and games are up for nomination in the awards competition. Users can nominate their favorite apps and games in any of the multiple categories by heading to the app nomination page and choosing a category.”
Over at GiggleApps, our site dedicated to reviewing the latest apps for kids, reviewer Amy Solomon took a closer look at the new Charlie Brown Christmas App, saying, “It is lovely that children can decorate their own tree with included ornaments and other decorations, as well as a few that must be earned by finding all the hidden items as accomplishments. This area is found on the first title page of the book and can easily be overlooked as one starts to read. Please look for it. I am also smitten with the last page of this app where the characters are all shown with image and name, and a tap letting readers hear the line they are most noted for in this story, a great section for me to go over with my son as he is new to these characters.”
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-11-17 :: Category: Entertainment
Finally, AndroidRundown writer Carter Dotson published a commentary regarding the recent CarrierIQ revelations. Dotson says, “Some of the fallout is settling from the explosive Carrier IQ revelations – naturally, most parties involved are denying any kind of wrongdoing, or even that their tools are even installed at all on the phones. Apps to search for the existence of the tools on phones now exist. As well, apparently even Carrier IQ was found on iOS devices, although Apple has pledged to remove them in a future iOS software update. Interestingly, one researcher has found that the software likely isn’t sending vast swaths of user personal information back to carriers and manufacturers, although there are still some questions about the data that is being recorded by Carrier IQ tools. In fact, a lot of this data may be used for benign purposes such as determining where phone calls are being dropped, rather than any kind of purpose of spying on user information.”
We’re done for this week. But next week brings us that much closer to Christmas, and closer to the new year. Keep informed by liking our Facebook page and following us on Twitter. Jingle on your merry way….and see you next week.
This week at 148Apps.com, writer Carter Dotson reviewed one of the most anticipated iOS games in recent memory – Infinity Blade II. Dotson writes, “Most of what is new here is a modified and extended progression structure. Instead of one path leading to a final boss, where failure means starting over, there are now several of them, with more branching paths to explore. There are 3 different weapon types now: the traditional swords, slow and heavy axes that deal more damage, and speedy dual swords that deal less base damage, but can do double damage once combos are started. The story is more fleshed out, with actual speaking dialogue from characters besides the God King.”
Meanwhile, our attention was turned to more artistic matters at GiggleApps, as Amy Solomon reviewed Auryn – Van Gogh and the Sunflowers. Solomon says, “The look of this app is terrific, with illustrations evoking the style that Van Gogh is known for, complete with bold color choices and noticeable use of brush strokes, but maintains a childlike quality that fits well within this storybook. The jazzy music used is also wonderful, relaxing as well as engaging and very enjoyable to listen to even for long periods of time. The narration used here is also quite good. Parents will also like that each spoken word is highlighted red to aid the young children new to the world of reading.”
iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2011-10-21 :: Category: Books
Finally, 148Apps.biz site editor Rob Lefebvre reported on tablet users and their media consumption. LeFebvre writes, “In a study put out by comScore and reported by Fierce Mobile Content and the appside, interested parties can see that the number one use of tablet devices is games, with 67% of surveyed tablet users saying they’ve played a game at least once in the past month, as compared to 49% of smartphone users surveyed. 23% of those surveyed said they’d played a game on their tablet EVERY DAY. That’s a good number.”
That’s our wrap-up for this week. While you’re out getting all of your holiday shopping done, don’t forget to check us out on our Facebook and Twitter feeds to find out the latest and greatest news, reviews and contests. Feliz Navidad!
This week at 148Apps.com was all about the US celebration of Thanksgiving, and the inevitable retail aftermath known as Black Friday. Rather than fight the crowds, 148Apps founder Jeff Scott put together a comprehensive Black Friday app sale list that continues to grow, and grow and grow. Scott says, “App sales are nothing new, but the biggest of the year is here, and we’ll be tracking the best of the sale apps right here. Expect lots of updates over the weekend.”
Jeff Scott also invited faithful 148Apps.biz readers to attend the upcoming AppNation III conference, saying, “Want to attend AppNation III? 148Apps network readers can get a 30% discount on the registration fee by using code 148APPS on the registration page.”
Meanwhile, at AndroidRundown, site editor Rob LeFebvre celebrated the release of Disney interactive’s Where’s My Water? for the Android platform. LeFebvre writes, “Android has been part of the plan since the development of Where’s My Water? for the iPhone crowd. In fact, the game was originally developed with C++, to make it easier to port to Android. The challenge, he said, is making sure the game is the same high quality experience across the myriad devices represented by Google’s hip operating system.”
Finally, on our parent-friendly GiggleApps site, Amy Solomon reviewed Don’t Let The Pigeon Run This App! Solomon writes, “I love these books. Pigeon can be cheeky, and my son has used pigeons’s one-liners, such as offering to “Give you five bucks” himself to try to stay up late. For this reason, some parents may feel that this pigeon is a bad influence on children, but I love the idea of my son practicing his ability to say “no” to this scheming pigeon as I want him to be prepared to stand his ground later in life when he is confronted by peer pressure, and I want him to recognize when he is being manipulated.”
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-10-27 :: Category: Books
And that’s a wrap for this Thanksgiving week! But don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook to get the latest news, reviews and contests. See you next time!
This week at 148Apps, once we were all finished with our Halloween and post-Halloween merriment, writer Lisa Caplan explored the vast landscape of camera replacement apps for the iPhone. Caplan writes, “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.”
Over at our kid’s apps headquarters, GiggleApps, Amy Solomon took a closer look at an innovative 3D comic book called The Gwaii. Solomon states, “This app does have some 3D effects as well that are best seen as one moves the device, looking at the additional angles that this provides. The 3D here is effective but somewhat overly sensitive to touch and there have been moments that I wish I would have turned this element off, trying to keep my hand steady to minimize the screen movements. I think this effect may be a distraction for some children, while others may really enjoy this effect.”
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-07-18 :: Category: Books
Finally, AndroidRundown featured an article by Carter Dotson that attempted to address the iOS versus Android ongoing argument head-on. Dotson says, “The thing to remember, though, is that Android and iOS are different in their very natures. iOS is a piece of Apple software, following Apple principles; it is designed to run on specific hardware. That is a big part of why the experience is often smoother. Android is designed to run on many, many forms of hardware, not just what Google has intended for it to run on. Yes, Google has their stock devices that run a pure Android, but Android is meant to be something bigger, and not as something tailored to one set of hardware. That Android is on the caliber of Android is impressive.”
That is the week that was. What started with Halloween ended with the first onslaught of holiday commercials on television, so keep your eye on 148Apps.com and our Facebook and Twitter streams for the latest reviews and helpful hints to get you through the holiday season. See you next week, readers!
Girl With a Heart of (that’s the full title, best make peace with it) tells the story of Raven, a young girl living in the dark city of Underfoot. A young girl with an artificial heart. When Underfoot is attacked by the Light’s army, Raven will have to make use of her special “condition” to play a vital role in this war. What that means is a mystery (for now). How it all ends will depend on the player.
The concept behind Girl With a Heart of‘s world is what really caught my attention. I find the idea of a world where the presumed roles of light and darkness are reversed to be fascinating. I also enjoy a good interactive narrative, and I’m curious to see some of these choices and experience some of these “life-altering consequences” for myself. But to do that, I have to wait.
Girl With a Heart of is due out in the App Store next month (November 17th) and will carry a $2.99 price tag.
Apolline & Leon is a lovely and fun interactive universal storybook app that kids and adults will enjoy. This app includes an impressive nine languages, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Chinese and Japanese, making this an excellent app for bilingual families or for those who may want to expose their children to the sounds of a different language. One can listen to narration or choose not to, and I like that a summary of pages is also included – always a nice addition.
This fall, Douglas Adams nerds will have the granddaddy of all iOS apps to show off to their friends. Whether they actually care or not. Hothead Games, in a somewhat obvious attempt to prove that the entire planet owes them a drink, is making a “real” Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for the iPhone and iPad. I’m not talking about an e-book or movie companion or any of that mundane stuff, but a fully realized and interactive rendition of the iconic inter-stellar travel guide.
It’s hard to come up with words to say about this news when my brain keeps going “WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
Pushing on, there’s no definitive release date yet aside from “fall,” but it should be out this year which is enough to make any Guide fan happy I’d think. Judging by the screen shots, it looks like a kind of mash-up of of the original concept from Adams’ books and the slightly “modernized” one found in the 2005 film. As for the actual content, Hothead Producer Joel DeYoung had this to say:
We really focused on taking existing Guide entries and presenting them in a new, interactive way… We have so much respect for the original that we had to stay true to the style of Douglas Adams, and deliver an app that feels familiar to fans, but updated for today’s devices.
Sure it won’t amount to much more than a fancy iOS toy, but oh what a toy! My inner (and outer) nerd can’t wait to start flipping through entries, reading up on Babel Fish, towels and everything else I’m probably only interested in right now due to nostalgia. “Fall” can’t get here soon enough, as far as I’m concerned.
Fierce Grey Mouse HD is a delightful interactive story about a grey mouse who wants to be fierce like a wild animal. It is simply delightful to watch this mouse practice his fierceness – the roaring, and the pouncing, along with the exercising and healthy eating habits that it takes to grow big and strong. The only pitfall is that all grand, fierce gestures have scared his friends, and now there is nobody to play with. Rest assured; all ends well in this charming story that kids will enjoy, and maybe even relate to. Versions are available for both iPhone as well as iPad.
The Polyphonic Spree haven’t quite made it in the fair lands of Britannia, where I reside, but thanks to the wonders of the internet, I know they produce some interesting music indeed. Their latest song release is perhaps the most interesting yet, but not for conventional reasons.
This time round, The Polyphonic Spree have released their new song as part of an interactive iPad app. The new tune, Bullseye, can be listened to while creating sounds through the app as the user explores a mystical, neon forest environment. Users control You-Me, a small creature trying to find his way around the world. Plants and creatures can be brought to life as users interact with things around them. Plus of course there’s the all important new song, Bullseye, which is available in Studio and Acoustic forms.
It’s an interesting move for music promotion. While mostly an interactive music video, it’s still a great step for a traditionally passive form of media. It’ll be interesting to see if other bands promote their new music through an app before conventional iTunes based releases.
Bullseye by Polyphonic Spree is out now and priced at $1.99.
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Posted May 27th, 2011 by Gianna LaPin Our Rating: :: LIVES UP TO THE HYPE
ParkBud is proof that functional can also be beautiful. This well-designed parking app has been soaring to the #1 position on chart after chart, and quite frankly, it does not disappoint.
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Posted May 4th, 2011 by Gianna LaPin Our Rating: :: RELAXING AND FUN
If you’re the sort who enjoys playing with meditative toys like tabletop Zen sand gardens, you’ll probably enjoy this relaxing and visually appealing sound app.
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Posted May 20th, 2009 by Bonnie Eisenman Our Rating: :: INCREDIBLE
Think of UpNext as a mash-up between a 3D version of Google Maps and Yelp, but it's only for NYC. Darn! It also displays subway routes, lets you bookmark locations, and more. If you're going to be in New York, this is definitely a utility worth looking at.
Having spent a decent portion of my retail career involved in the children’s section of a bookstore, I think I have a solid grasp of what makes for popular literature among parents and their children. There’s always one or two “flavors of the week,” but there are also those that always sell. Where the Wild Things Are. The Velveteen Rabbit. Virtually anything written by Mo Willems or Sandra Boynton. Sitting proudly at the top of this list are the works of the undisputed monarch of children’s literature, Dr. Seuss.
This week at 
Finally, 
:: MORE INFINITE
Finally, 
This week at 148Apps.com was all about the US celebration of Thanksgiving, and the inevitable retail aftermath known as Black Friday. Rather than fight the crowds, 148Apps founder 
Russian, Portuguese, Chinese and Japanese, making this an excellent app for bilingual families or for those who may want to expose their children to the sounds of a different language. One can listen to narration or choose not to, and I like that a summary of pages is also included – always a nice addition.
It’s hard to come up with words to say about this news when my brain keeps going “WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
Fierce Grey Mouse HD is a delightful interactive story about a grey mouse who wants to be fierce like a wild animal. It is simply delightful to watch this mouse practice his fierceness – the roaring, and the pouncing, along with the exercising and healthy eating habits that it takes to grow big and strong. The only pitfall is that all grand, fierce gestures have scared his friends, and now there is nobody to play with. Rest assured; all ends well in this charming story that kids will enjoy, and maybe even relate to. Versions are available for both iPhone as well as iPad.
This time round, The Polyphonic Spree have released their new song as part of an interactive iPad app. The new tune, Bullseye, can be listened to while creating sounds through the app as the user explores a mystical, neon forest environment. Users control You-Me, a small creature trying to find his way around the world. Plants and creatures can be brought to life as users interact with things around them. Plus of course there’s the all important new song, Bullseye, which is available in Studio and Acoustic forms.
:: COSMIC
