To be fair, there are a fair number of video editing apps available for the iPhone right now. I suppose it's because the portable nature of iDevices makes them perfect for amateur film folk. Cinefy is another such app meant for creating video clips, sure, but it appears to be much more extensive than most of the current offerings.
For one thing, it has a pretty sleek and accessible-looking interface: the individual tracks are easy to distinguish from one another thanks to some vivid color-coding. But it's not just about the editing. Cinefy also offers what, to my knowledge, is a first for iOS video apps. It features "one click licensing," which gives users access to a large selection of copyright-cleared tunes (provided by Friendly Music). A feature meant to streamline the process of video production, no doubt, and it seems like it'll do just that. Once a video has been finished, it can be exported to Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo.
There's no official pricing and release info available yet, but interested cinematic auteurs can head on over to the website to try and get a spot in the beta. And if anyone reading this gets in, please feel free to tell us about it!
Everyone does it. They're sitting there listening to music, doing whatever else while the sweet melodies relax or empower them, and then they get The Urge. Suddenly, it becomes extremely important to let other people know what they're listening to. I can't even begin to explain this phenomena but it's a real thing and it happens all the time. Thanks to James Shaw, the 16 year-old app wiz, the process will be getting even more streamlined.
MusicTweet is an app designed to do just that: tweet music. When a user starts up the app, it will automatically find the song and album information on what they're currently listening to. When the tracks change, it'll track down the info for the new one, too. From there it's simply a matter of tapping the "Tweet" button. The app will automatically add the title, artist and other miscellaneous bits. Tracks can be changed in-app, along with the volume, so there's little reason for tweet-happy music lovers to not keep it running all the time.
MusicTweet is available on the App Store now for $0.99.
When most people see or hear the name Digital Tales, they most likely associate it with Ducati Challenge for iOS. That, or they can click those links to see what I'm talking about because they also might be totally lost at this point. Regardless, there's going to be a new iPhone/iPad game for folks to think about when their name comes up: Battleloot Adventure.
Aside from just being an awesome name to begin with, it's looking like a pretty awesome game to boot. Players get to build and manage their own band of fantasy archetypes as they wander throughout "Kameloot" (ha!) and the surrounding countryside. Each adventurer has their own abilities and gain experience individually. Similarly, lots of gear can be found/earned and thrown on them for various bonuses. But while I'm admittedly a sucker for customization options (party, character, skill or otherwise) and I'm really digging the stylish cartoon visuals, I'm really intrigued by the combat system which looks like a hybrid of traditional turn-based RPG trappings and reflex-based arcade action. Tapping characters and enemies to select and attack respectively is relatively standard, but I'm curious to see how the more "twitchy" actions like assists (tap a second character while attacking) and blocking (tap the targeted character during an enemy's attack) pan out.
There don't seem to be any specifics regarding price just yet, but Battleloot Adventure is set to release on the App Store in February. It's a few months off, but I'm certainly looking forward to it.
Everyone's gaga for catching and training monsters. It's a shockingly popular genre, which makes its overall lack of representation on the App Store all the more odd. That's not so say that no one's ever tried, but there just aren't that many choices at the moment. Greyhound Games, with help from ZigZaGame, is looking to do their part by releasing Dragon Island.
The overall concept of Dragon Island is as expected: capture monsters, level-up monsters, evolve and combine monsters to create new monsters and fight other monsters with said monsters. What sets it apart from the scant few other games in the genre on iOS is the use of actual time instead of energy or mana, setting a specific lineup for monsters (think "batting order"), a sprawling map full of places to explore and dungeons. The dungeons are of particular note because they're not only randomly-generated, but can also contain special monsters, treasures, their own towns and even other dungeons.
Currently the game is about 75% complete (according to the developer), and they're looking to the community to take it well beyond the 100% mark. They've set up a Kickstarter page to raise funds so that they can include more of, well, everything. More monsters, more dungeons, more items and more game in general.
What's there is already looking really good (placeholder graphics notwithstanding). I'm particularly fond of the monster illustrations. And the thought of Roguelike dungeons in a monster-collecting rpg has me salivating something fierce. If anyone echoes my sentiment, then I urge them to look into Dragon Island. Don't forget to take a gander at the handful of monster images (20+ out of 200) in the gallery below, either. Also, "LOL" at Unhappy Bird.
Cave has released a number of shooters on the App Store, and virtually all of them have been very well-received. In the interest of preserving that tradition, they've just announced an iOS port of Bug Princess (also known as Mushihimesama). I'm hoping that I have all my facts straight, but bear with me here.
Mushihimesama was a big hit in Japanese arcades when it was released in 2004. Thanks in no small part to its "Manic" and "Ultra" modes, I'm sure. After all that success, Cave released a sequel - Mushihimesama Futari - in 2006, followed by a 2010 spin-off most iOS users should be familiar with at this point: Mushihimesama Bug Panic. Still with me? Good.
So, Cave is getting ready to release the original vertical-scrolling shooter Mushihimesama, now under the name Bug Princess on the App Store for our enjoyment. My head hurts a little now... Anyway, the original arcade title that led to the creation and release of Mushihimesama Bug Panic is headed our way. According to the developer, it's going to be compatible with the iPhone4, 3GS, iPod Touch 3rd Gen and up, the iPad and iPad2, and will require OS 4.2 or higher.
There's no specific release info yet aside from "winter 2011," but there isn't a whole lot of 2011 left so it won't be too long a wait. As for pricing... Well, that's still unannounced, but it's a Cave game so I'd imagine it'll range from $5 to $10 or so. Best get those App Store funds ready.
Everyone loves a good iOS port, right? It seems like App Store shoppers are always clamoring to have versions of their favorite PC and console games on their phones, pads and pods. I know I'm certainly no exception. Enter the original Inertia: a nifty gravity-manipulating platformer that took home the SMU Guildhall grand prize for non-commercial games back in February. The title's creators have since joined Red Fly Studio, and will be bringing a "console gaming experience" spiritual successor of sorts to iOS and Android devices shortly.
Inertia: Escape Velocity requires players to use their wits, as well as plenty of finesse, in order to navigate each level successfully. Bouncing, gliding and floating will be essential for scooping up scrap (to repair a damaged ship, naturally) which will grant access to even more levels. Touch controls are the standard, but there's also an option to use accelerometer to make things a bit more intense. Of course, players can opt for even more intensity (that's "Intense x 2" for anyone doing the math) by jumping into the "Inferno" versions of each stage.
Inertia: Escape Velocity is set to release next month, December 1st, for $1.99 (iPhone/iPod) and $2.99 (iPad). Keep a sharp eye.
It's one thing for slimy, slobbering aliens to go around stealing livestock. It's something else entirely when they start pilfering cute little kitties. That's crossing a line. On the other side of that line is a vengeance-fueled engine of mayhem and destruction hell-bent on recovering his lost friend while making his antagonizers wish they were never born. Or spawned. Or whatever the heck aliens do to reproduce. And his name is Dum Dum.
Gamelion has recently announced Monster Shooter, a soon to be released twin-stick shooter. Players will blast their way through all sorts of alien scum on three distinct worlds, featuring a humorous story and lots and lots of shooting. If they grow tired of the plot or structured level progression, there's also a Survival Mode to put their skills to the test. And yes, the developers have mentioned that they're already working on additional content which will be released as free updates in the future.
There's no exact date for Monster Shooter's release just yet, but it should be out sometime this month. "... Within the next few weeks," is the best I've got at the moment. Still, it looks funny and sounds entertaining. That combined with a non-existent price (read: it's going to be free) makes it absolutely worth an inquisitive glance or two. Once it finally gets here, of course.
Peanuts has got to be one of, if not the, most recognizable American cartoon strips in history. Not just the comic, either. Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown is one of those holiday classics that just has to be seen. It's a staple of every Santa-loving child's holiday. Suffice it to say, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of those not-quite troublemakers are a huge part of American culture.
They've been around a long time. Long enough, in fact, to have spawned more than a couple video game iterations. Now it's time for the unnaturally bald man-child and his friends to try their luck on iOS with Snoopy's Street Fair. I'll admit I was somewhat surprised and confused by the odd choice of gameplay style at first, but after only a few seconds of that trailer down there I've completely changed my tune. I'm legitimately excited for this game.
Peanuts and a freemium "city" building game... Who in their right mind would have ever thought that would work? Players will help Charlie Brown and friends (21 characters in all) set up a street fair in the neighborhood, with all manner of stalls and other street fair things. Notable characters such as Linus, Lucy and more can also be recruited to run the kiosks and attractions. Of course, these all earn money that can be used to acquire better stuff, etc...
An interesting spin to the whole idea is Snoopy himself. The mischievous beagle will wander the neighborhood and cause all manner of light-hearted trouble. Depending on his current costume (such as the Beagle Scout) he'll interact with the environment in various ways, and each of the three outfits unlocks a unique themed minigame.
There are also a bunch of collectibles to keep players doing what they do best while steadily earning income to build more structures to earn more income and so on. With over two-dozen trading cards and 45 original cartoon strips, well it's got plenty of carrots to dangle. And through it all, the classic Peanuts style shines through with artwork faithful to Charles M. Schulz’s illustrations and "official voice talent." Official voice talent (!).
Snoopy's Street Fair will be setting up shop in the App Store November 17th. I'm calling it right now: unless there's hypothetically some kind of insane bug (which I doubt), this game is going to do very, very well. Because everyone loves Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts troupe.
PopCap is one of those companies that just keeps churning out quality game nuggets by the truckload. Thanks to their innovative new 4th & Battery studio, the developer has had even more of a chance to spread their wings. Their first release, Unpleasant Horse, was a great stride into the mini-game category of iOS, while still striving to succeed at being a completely free title.
Last week, PopCap was eager to proclaim the release of their newest free offering: Candy Train. After seeing a forgettable flash debut way back in 2003, the game has been redesigned to take advantages of all of the great features that iOS gamers have come to know and love.
The backstory of this game's development has it that an aspiring developer working in another branch of the company decided to prove their moxie and design a whole new iOS game around this long-lost flash gem. After toiling away on the game in her free time, investing many hours outside of the office, she eventually had a finished product to show to the powers that be within Popcap.
Leadership within
the company was so impressed with the level of detail and polish in the game that they determined that it was worth sharing with the general public, and thus Candy Train was re-born. Oh, and what ever became of that budding developer that dreamed of one day joining the legions developing classics at Popcap? She has now successfully transitioned into a full-time role as a game programmer.
These are the kinds of stories that you just love to hear, from a developer that can seeming do no wrong. So why not show Sophia some love and give the game a download? It isn't like a free game is going to break the bank, after all!
iPhone App - Designed for iPhone, compatible with iPad
In a busy daily life that is made up of a standard nine to five, time spent with family and loved ones, and the ever looming necessity of sleep, it becomes crucial for one to have something to help them feel fulfilled. For many, the answer to this basic human need is a hobby. But what happens if in your free time you enjoy backwards unicycle riding while playing the harmonica? I am going to go out on a limb and say that most likely you are not going to have any friends that share that similar passion.
This is why the app Groupie was created. You can research any random activity or topic you could possibly imagine, and most likely there is a group dedicated to it. Who knows, maybe it will introduce you to the the backwards unicycling tuba player of your dreams? Yeah, that one may be a bit of a long shot, but you will never know unless you give it a try!
I met Tarikh of Uncommon Projects a couple of weeks ago and got a preview of Steps, a cool new project designed to help users publish instructions or directions from their iPhone to the web. Uncommon Projects, based in Brooklyn, is a hardware and software design firm that has done projects like a cool series of photo bikes for Yahoo. One of the sample Steps they've put together online is a great introduction to the service's potential.
[caption id="attachment_39682" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="List of Created Stpes"]
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Creating Steps At the moment, creating Steps requires the Steps iPhone application. Users start projects and add steps, with a wide variety of different types of information to include. Images and text are the two most important, but Steps also gives users the opportunity to add directional arrows that translucently sit on top of the photos. Location can also be added via GPS and seen on an included map. This allows for breadcrumb navigation using just a map in case pictures or text aren't necessary.
The application also allows you to preview the steps before uploading them to the web. Once shared, the app can send the steps out in a tweet or an email.
Steps Online The Steps app makes it incredibly simple to create instructions and the web app that Uncommon Projects has created is a perfect companion. The iPhone view feels just like the application itself, allowing users to look at maps or see the text and pictures along with every step. Viewing the Steps site from a desktop provides an equally informative view.
A Lesson in Simplicity Steps is just the kind of application I love. It's easy to use, simple, and beautifully designed. When the app is released, it'll make it easier for everyone, be they chefs sharing recipes or relatives giving directions to their homes, to make easy to understand walkthroughs.
You may remember a few months back now that Apple unveiled a new system in which it used a web-based interface to show song information for an individual iTunes URL, before you were physically transferred to the actual iTunes store itself. The move came in sync with the iTunes store re-design which saw the store become more streamlined overall, with a cleaner, crisper interface. Until now, these new web-based 'Preview' pages have lay dormant, offering no real purpose other than to provide necessary links to albums and individual tracks on the iTunes store.
Today, Apple has reportedly enabled studio 30 second previews of all tracks in it's current iTunes catalog to work in-browser. Mac Rumors are reporting via GigaOM that these previews are encoded in 44.1 KHz AAC format at 300+ kbps, and playback is issued via QuickTime.
The move falls in line with Apple's recent acquisition of the online music streaming service Lala, which could see Apple move it's entire current catalog online, possibly offering all-you-can-eat subscription based plans in the future.
1Password, the anticipated iPhone version of the popular Mac OS secure password manager, has been released to the App Store for free. The developer, Agile Web Solutions, says it will be free for an unspecified introductory period. After a quick look, it's pretty impressive. Grab it now! We'll be doing a full review, including how well the sync works soon.
