Tag: World War II »

WOTA: U-Boat Compass is a 3D simulation of a naval gyrocompass created by Mark Hessburg, in cooperation with the Technical Museum U 995 of the German Naval Association. The compass is based off those used in German submarines during World War II. The app is a spin-off of WOTA: Wolves of the Atlantic, a submarine simulation coming out this year.

You'll be able to explore the compass as well as the U 995’s command room in a high resolution 360° panorama. The color of the compass can be adjusted between black, gray, brass or transparent and will give you accurate readings on latitude and longitude, speedometer, rate of Turn, and more. Just make sure you have your built-in GPS or Wi-Fi network connection turned on.

You can download a copy of WOTA: U-Boat Compass for $0.99 on the App Store.

It is pretty safe to say that World War II was one of the most influential conflicts in the history of humanity. One area of the conflict that was especially brutal throughout the war was the Pacific front.  This was brought to a head when the United States dropped nuclear bombs on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  But the war wasn't just about two bright flashes of light on the western horizon, it was far more than that.

Of all developers, who do you think would be bringing the story of this conflict to life?  If you guessed Gameloft, then you would be correct, but at the same time, you should also question your sanity.  In a huge departure from what they have traditionally developed, the influential iPhone developer has decided to branch off into the realm of eBooks.  Here is how they describe, War in the Pacific, their newest foray into the iOS space:

War in the Pacific by Richard Overy is a beautiful 56-page book filled with hundreds of outstanding photographs, works of art and maps, providing a unique interactive experience on the iPad that brings the past to life. It takes Book Applications to a whole new level.

This interactive experience brings the era and events to life as never before: Turn some of the darkest pages of history, zoom-in on high-quality photographs, watch animated maps and archive videos retrace events and interact with carefully selected documents of the time.

What sets this eBook apart from others in the medium is the extensive use of interactivity and multimedia to help the reader gain a better grasp of the scenarios surrounding the war.  This is the kind of specialized content that the iPad was designed to consume.  If you don't believe us, check out Gameloft's debut trailer for the app and see if that doesn't convince you.

As long as they can get past the hefty $9.99 pricetag, readers will be in for a historically inspired treat.  If nothing else, let's hope that it will act as a reminder to everyone of the tragic cost of war throughout history and the sacrifices made by soldiers, all in the name of their homeland.

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