Tag: Retina display »

Fingle, the iPad’s most intimate and awkward game, has gotten a big new update to give those fingers more reasons to get up close and personal with each other. First off, the app now supports the iPad Retina Display. Enjoy entwined digits on a screen with unparalleled clarity, even if relationships may not be very clear after playing this. Two new level packs have been added. Get back into the era when we decided love wasn’t free any more, because somebody had to buy those mirror balls with the groovy new Disco levels. As well, there’s the new Confusion levels which have a new gameplay element: gray buttons that can be picked up and moved around by players. These level packs are free additions to the game. Haven’t gotten in on the touchy-feely action? Well, the game is on a temporary $0.99 sale. The game may cost money, but the awkward moments are priceless.

There was something anomalous about the third generation iPad. It had that shiny new Retina Display, but Anomaly: Warzone Earth didn't run at Retina resolution on there! Earth was ready to go to war over this cruel misdeed.

Well, fret no longer, earthlings! 11 bit Studios just released an update for Anomaly: Warzone Earth HD to make it compatible with the iPad Retina Display, thus correcting a situation that 11 bit Studios are quoted as saying is "not very good at all." Yes, aliens can now be conspired against, and their towers properly offensed in stunning high resolution!

Now, one may think "So, the game has twice the resolution, that means the game's going to be twice the price, right?" Wrong, rhetorical person! The game is now in fact much cheaper, as the price is now half off: $1.99 for the HD version which is universal, and $0.99 for the iPhone/iPod touch version. Did that version get anything new? No. Will saving an extra dollar fill that gaping hole caused by the lack of an iPad in one's life? Possibly! The Retina Display update is available now.

Zinio has long been a serious player in digital magazines distribution, on and off iOS. Zinio first appeared on the App Store in April 2010, but offered digital magazines on its website well before that. Zinio's iOS app updated recently and is now optimized for the new iPad’s retina display. With a vast catalog of first and second tier magazines and with periodicals available across various mobile and PC platforms, Zinio is proving they can stay competitive. Download speed has also been improved considerably in this update.

The quality of individual digital magazines is always dependant on the publishers, not Zinio or any distributors. Some magazines look like what they are - prettified PDF's. But, when magazines like National Geographic take advantage of all the interactivity, particularly now with the crisper text and images, the reading experience parallels any on Apple's Newsstand where many magazines have yet to be updated for the enhanced display.

Zinio's update shows the company's continued dedication to iOS as a platform. Until Apple can bring in more partners like Rolling Stone and somehow urge or compel all iOS native magazine publishers to support its best and newest features - a slow process considering major publications like Time Magazine, The Nation and The Atlantic have yet to adopt Newsstand, much less adapt to the latest iPad's specs - Zinio should continue to hold their market share and possibly even see it grow.

Dungeon Crawlers, a dungeon-exploring RPG with turn-based combat, has released a major update including new enemies and levels.

Dungeon Crawlers released with four chapters to play through and this update releases the fifth and final chapter to conclude the game. This means more ghoul-crushing, skeleton-hacking levels for players to work through.

The game has also gone full HD to support the new iPad. Dynamic lighting has also been added for some of the more recent iOS devices (iPad third gen, the iPad 2, and the iPhone 4s).

The game now has a store that sells upgrades for characters. The store includes items that cast status effects on characters and of course the standard weapons, armor, and potions to help gear those characters to hack their way through the fifth and final chapter. Other minor tweaks and changes to the game were added including balancing to gameplay (always a good sign when developers are worried about balance and fairness), level select options, and bug fixes.

Dungeon Crawlers is a universal app that only costs $0.99.

One of the best newspaper reading apps, PressReader, likes to keep on top of new technology and updates to the iPad, regularly adding new and useful features and tweaks.

With the recent release of the new iPad, this has happened again with a great selection of new features.

The big one is Retina Display support, ensuring that everything on the new iPad screen will look pretty amazing, even when zoomed in.

Also included is the ability to instantly translate publications in up to 12 languages, as soon as the title is opened. It's also now possible to save articles to Evernote or Instapaper for later consultation as well as email or share them via Twitter or Facebook.

It's also an ideal time to check out the new SmartFlow functionality within the app which works well alongside the Retina Display support to make this a great way of reading the traditional newspaper in a 21st century way.

Check out the PressReader video below demonstrating what's been changed. The update is available now.

I’ve purchased all three iPads. Each time I felt that there was enough added to the new version to justify buying the next. But then again, I’m not the average iPad owner. Being completely objective, the new iPad may not be the greatest purchase for the iPad 2 owner. But that’s the last time I’m calling it the “new” iPad. That sets us up for all sorts of confusion in the future. So I’m going to get some practice in this post calling it the third generation iPad.

Review Highlights
First, let’s take a look at some highlights of what been said about the new...the third generation iPad.

Almost everyone had something to say about the retina display. John Gruber (DaringFireball.net) called reading on the retina display “pure joy.”

“Going back to the iPad 2 after reading a few hours on the iPad 3 is jarring...what you thought looked pretty good before (like text rendered on older iPads) now looks blurry.”

Since Joshua Topolsky from the Verge thinks the third generation iPad isn’t a necessary upgrade for everyone, he makes this suggestion,

“And if you're an original iPad or iPad 2 owner... unless you want to upgrade, just avoid looking at this screen.”

MG Siegler from TechCrunch feels exactly as I do about the screen,

“Web pages look almost as if they’re being displayed in a high-quality glossy magazine. Photos look like photos — the printed out kind. Text is razor sharp and crisp, just like print.”

The Retina display is obviously the selling point for the third generation iPad. But significant upgrades over the iPad 2 include LTE, the A5X chip (with quad core graphics), improved cameras, and upgraded memory (1 GB RAM). The upgraded memory was confirmed after the Apple announcement. Apple didn’t seem to want to mention memory, even on the tech specs page for the iPad. Apparently, Post-PC means rarely ever mentioning the finer points of the hardware. Personally, I think double the RAM is quite important.

Most seemed to agree on what to do about upgrading customers and new buyers. Owners of the original iPad should probably upgrade. New customers should definitely buy a third generation iPad. And it’s a horribly tough decision for iPad 2 owners (that one used to be me).

Topolsky wrapped up with,

“For owners of the iPad 2, this isn't necessarily a slam dunk. While the updated features are a boon to the new iPad, it doesn't offer an experience that is significantly different from the previous version.”

But M.G. Siegler seemed a bit more inclined for iPad 2 users to upgrade,

“If you have an iPad 2, it’s a tougher call since it still seems nearly as fast as the new iPad. But if you choose not to upgrade (or to spend $399 for the 16 GB iPad 2 now), again, treat the new iPad as if it were Medusa when you’re in an Apple Store. Do. Not. Look. At. It.”

I would go even farther than Siegler. Don’t even look at comparisons of screenshots from the iPad 2 to the third generation iPad. That’s what hooked me in. I don’t regret making the purchase at all. The screen is absolutely beautiful. But for someone trying to resist, protect your eyes.

Praises and Problems
I’m going to wrap up with some praises and issues that have recently popped up in the news surrounding the third generation iPad.

Let’s start with some praise. Gary Heiting, an optometrist and editor of All About Vision, says that the Retina display on the iPad helps ease the eye strain from staring at a screen for long periods of time.

“A key factor in something that’s called computer vision syndrome, or just eye strain from computer use, is screen resolution...It’s not just an enjoyment issue or an aesthetic issue, but it’s definitely a visual comfort issue, over time”

I’ve definitely noticed an easier reading experience. I never had major eye strain problems. But the difference in strain was noticeable enough for me to feel confident in that statement.

Some other problems that have popped up are heat issues and charging issues. Some have made a bigger deal out of the heat issues than others. But the bottom line is that the new iPad can and does heat up to a warmer temperature than its predecessor. It isn’t going to catch on fire, it isn’t going to melt, but it is going to feel a bit warmer during gaming (bottom-left corner in my experience). I wouldn’t call the heat uncomfortable. Just noticeable.

As for the charging issues, with some thinking it becomes common sense. Since the charger for the third generation iPad is a 10W charger (the same as both previous iPads) but the third generation iPad requires more power for the Retina display and processor, it cannot charge while active in certain situations. While gaming or using power intensive apps, trying to charge the iPad may take longer or even continue to drain. Generally, I’ve found that I can get through a day of heavy use on a full charge of the iPad. So to get around this, I just make sure the iPad is fully charged overnight before heavy use.

My final words are to iPad 2 owners (since everyone else has an easy decision: buy it). If gaming is important, buy it. If taking pictures or video is important, buy it. HD fanatics, buy it. If the reading experience is a priority, buy it. Otherwise, stick with the iPad 2.

It's hardly a surprise that this week at 148Apps.com was dominated by all things related to Apple's new iPad. Carter Dotson put together a great list of ten Retina Display-ready iPad games, saying, "Just bought a new iPad? Congratulations. Sure, tweets may come in clearer than ever, and videos at 1080p quality, but what’s the real way to show off that beautiful new 2048×1536 screen? With games, of course! And how about some online games to take advantage of the LTE option available? Yes, please! Here’s ten titles that show off just how crisp the new iPad’s Retina Display looks."

Read more about Carter's ten picks on 148Apps.

Meanwhile, GiggleApps.com writer Amy Solomon did a little pattern recognition in her review of Line Up. She writes, "Line Up is a wonderful interactive educational app that teaches about patterns in ways children and their adults will be smitten by.

I really enjoy this app – a great application to be aware of because parents have their choice of apps dedicated to pattern awareness within iTunes. I have enjoyed a few of these apps with my son, but a favorite of mine is definitely Line Up, from the developers at Busythings, a company that should not be overlooked."

Read the full review at GiggleApps.

Finally, intrepid 148Apps.biz writer Brad Hilderbrand reported on a recent study regarding smart phone screens. Hilderbrand writes, "A recent survey from Strategy Analytics claims that when it comes to smartphones, bigger really is better. According to the report 90 percent of smartphone owners wish their device had a bigger screen."

Find out more on 148Apps.biz.

Thus ends another vibrant week in the life of all things iOS. But fret not! There's always more right around the corner. Keep track of the latest news, reviews and contests by following us on Twitter and Liking us on Facebook. That is all. You may now return to your Retina Displays.

With the launch of the new iPad and its Retina Display, it may take some time for apps to catch up with the new high-resolution art requirements. Not for these ten apps, which have all been updated to support the new iPad's high-resolution screen.

ABC Player: Want to catch up on ABC shows, but don't want to lose out on resolution? Well, the ABC app now supports the new iPad Retina Display, which should make high-resolution video available from the app shine. It would even be possible, if ABC supports it, to stream 1080p, which is even higher resolution than what local ABC stations display at.

Pandora: How would a music app benefit from a higher-resolution display? Well, it might not, but choosing and discovering new artists and songs to play will look better than ever. As well, the LTE in the new iPad means higher-quality audio is easier to stream while on the go.

Pulse: This news aggregator recently added support for local content, but it got a second update this week adding support for the new iPad. Image previews for articles come through clearer than ever, and reading articles is even easier now with sharper text.

Evernote: The popular service for sharing notes, audio recordings, and pictures to the cloud supports the new iPad with its latest update. Now, all that shared content can be pulled down and viewed more crisply than ever. Well, besides the audio, the Retina Display won't change the sound. Apple can only do so much.

Readability: Don't lose any viewability when viewing the web through this app's easier reading experience. The 1.0.3 update introduces Retina Display support, making the title of the app continue to ring true.

iA Writer – One of the finer writing apps available for iPad, this crisp and clear writing app loses none of its visual fidelity on the new iPad. As a bonus, it now is universal for the iPhone and iPod touch, and still supports iCloud for syncing between devices as well as the Mac version of the software.

Tweetbot: Arguably the best third-party Twitter app available, Tapbots has updated the assets to make the iPad version of their client shine. The new update also brings live streaming of new tweets, but only over wifi, so no need to worry about wasting that LTE data plan.

Kindle: Still not giving in to the Apple ecosystem entirely? Well, good news: at least one third-party ebook service is supporting the new iPad, so Kindle books will read clearer than ever. Well, the text will be. The actual content may still be confusing.

BeoClock: Normal alarm clocks are just too low resolution to be any good any more. Wake up to a beautfiul alarm clock displayed by the iPad's Retina Display, and possibly everything in the world will be more beautiful. Or everything will pale in comparison to this alarm clock's beauty. Either way, it'll probably look really nice.

CalcBot: Tapbots' calculator app may just be the most beautiful calculator on earth, and with its new update, the new iPad can display it in full Retina Display glory. It makes the TI-89 look even more pathetic by comparison. Plus, the iPad doesn't have a built-in calculator app, so this really comes in handy!

Just bought a new iPad? Congratulations. Sure, tweets may come in clearer than ever, and videos at 1080p quality, but what's the real way to show off that beautiful new 2048x1536 screen? With games, of course! And how about some online games to take advantage of the LTE option available? Yes, please! Here's ten titles that show off just how crisp the new iPad's Retina Display looks.

Mass Effect: Infiltrator: This Mass Effect spinoff, developed by Iron Monkey Studios (Dead Space for iOS), has just been updated with iPad Retina Display support. It's now pushing over three times the pixels as the console Mass Effect 3. Our own Rob Rich called it "the best cover shooter on the App Store," which makes it a great and stunning way to rebound from the polarizing ending of the console game.

Order & Chaos Online: Gameloft's World of Warcraft-alike has been updated to support the new iPad. That's right, now it's possible to fight for the forces of order or the warriors of chaos on a screen resolution higher than many monitors playing WoW, from anywhere on earth thanks to LTE speed.

Real Racing 2 HD: This was one of the first games to support 1080p output from the iPad 2's HDMI port. A lesser person would have been satisfied with this high amount of definition. For those unsatisfied snobs, now Firemint's racing game supports the new iPad's Retina Display. If this isn't defined highly enough, perhaps it's time to start racing for real.

Touchgrind BMX: Illusion Labs' Retina Display support is no illusion, as their multitouch stunt biking game has full support for the new iPad. Show off fantastic tricks at fantastic display. Skateboarding is still not a crime, but the original Touchgrind has not yet been updated for the new iPad.

Monsters Ate My Condo: Enough of the three-dimensional games. This frantic, fast-paced puzzler from PikPok and Adult Swim Games now has iPad Retina Display support. Feeding delicious condos to giant monsters has never looked better. This is probably the only game to involve feeding condos to monsters, but it's still gonna look really good on the new iPad.

Infinity Blade 2: When Apple's announced a shiny new Retina Display product, Infinity Blade has been there. While the new entry shown at the new iPad press conference, Infinity Blade Dungeons, is not available yet, the latest entry in the series now has shinier graphics in anticipation of its new content.

Galaxy on Fire 2 HD: While the galaxy is not literally on fire, because there's no air, Fishlabs' space warfare series is looking better than ever on the new iPad. This version of the game was designed to take advantage of the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S when it came out, and it's ready to handle the latest and greatest iPad and its Retina Display.

Flight Control Rocket: That was fast. Right after the release of this new entry in Firemint's legendary path management series, it got an update to support the Retina Display. So, for those who bought the game on Thursday, fearing that they would have to worry about the game looking ugly on their new iPad? Their worst fears have gone unrealized!

Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy: How could I leave off the game that Apple themselves used to show off the new iPad? Battle friends online in absurd resolution, and at absurd speed anywhere thanks to the LTE connectivity on the cellular models.

Diamond Dash: This colorful, fast-paced puzzle game has gotten an update for the Retina Display. Not only is it possible to play against Facebook friends, it's possible to play against them at a higher resolution and pixel density than they are! Unless they get the new iPad too. At that point, all bets are off.

Joining the swathe of apps updated for iPhone 4, Phantom Fish has enhanced its Byline newsreader app to make use of the iPhone 4’s Retina display. The app also takes advantage of multitasking in iOS4.

Byline takes news from sites listed in your Google Reader account and makes them available on your iPhone using their RSS feeds. The app allows users to view pages without an internet connection with its offline browsing feature and syncs with your Google Reader account so that your news is always up-to-date. The app is also compatible with Twitter, Instapaper and Read It Later.

Version 3.2 is available now on the App Store and brings high-resolution graphics for optimum viewing on the iPhone 4’s Retina Display and uses multitasking to complete syncing and caching of feeds in the background.

Byline is available for free with advertising or at $4.99 for the advertising-free version.

The increased resolution of the iPhone 4 has been the point of a lot of conversation from the moment it was first announced. Most of the conversation focusing on if it really is a "retina display," one with such a high pixel density that the human eye can't see the individual pixels. And around that, most of the conversation had to do how great text will look on the display. But what about games? How will the increased resolution impact games? Can they actually approach photographic quality? Wow, that would be staggering -- and I can't wait to see it!

In what I believe are the first games to be approved to take advantage of the Retina Display on the iPhone 4, Real Racing and Flight Control updates are now live. They include increased resolution graphics to fit the new display -- rather than rely on pixel doubled graphics. In addition, Real Racing control has been updated to take advantage of the gyroscope in the iPhone 4. It should provide for even better control of the steering in the game.