Here’s to another billion — and not just from the App Store. Windows Mobile, Symbian, Android, webOS, BlackBerry — we’re expecting every bit as much out of you guys, so let the games (and the productivity apps, utilities, flatulence simulators…) begin.
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
Apple’s App Store hits a billion downloads originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds
GamePark Wiz app store coming this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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While the British military has had a love-hate relationship with Apple’s darling, the US armed forces are reportedly warming up quite well to the iPod touch. A fresh Newsweek report asserts that the touch is increasingly replacing far more expensive dedicated devices in the field, noting that it is being used to spearhead the future of “networked warfare.” Equipped with a rugged shell and software developed by language translation firms (among others), the device is being used to aid communications and acquire information from databases. In fact, the US Department of Defense is “developing military software for iPods that enables soldiers to display aerial video from drones and have teleconferences with intelligence agents halfway across the globe,” and snipers are already utilizing a ballistics calculator to add precision to shots. And hey, it’s not like easy access to Tap Tap Revenge is really bad for morale, either.
[Via CNET]
Filed under: Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Apple’s iPod touch tackling “networked warfare” for US military originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 08:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Just in case you’ve been trying to worm your way into your network-connected hard drive via your phone, the folks at Pogoplug have made their iPhone application available, free of charge. After you’re done Skype’ing, you can check out some family photos. C’mon — you know you need those files.
Filed under: Storage
Pogoplug iPhone app makes its way into the world originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 20:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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To think, it’s only been three months since we talked about Apple’s iTunes store crossing the 500 million download threshold, and now it looks like the gang in Cupertino are gearing up to celebrate their 1 billionth app. To celebrate, the company’s released two lists showcasing the top 20 free and paid iPhone apps, respectively. Presuming these are in order (they’re certainly not alphabetical), that puts Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D for paid apps and Facebook for free apps. Interestingly, Crash shares with Super Monkey Ball the dubious honor of being the only two apps on the list at $5.99, the highest price here. Eight of the paid apps cost $0.99 apiece, and the rest fall somewhere in between. Check out both lists after the break.
[Via i4u]
Continue reading Apple reveals top 20 free / paid iPhone apps, iFart Mobile only ranks 16th
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
Apple reveals top 20 free / paid iPhone apps, iFart Mobile only ranks 16th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP’s MediaSmart Server ex487 (1.5TB) and ex485 (750GB) both received copious amounts of praise when launched late last year, but considering just how many issues the original two had (the ex470 and ex475), it wouldn’t take much to best ’em. Today, HP is issuing its second firmware update of the year for the series, but the first ever for the newest duo — and make no mistake, it’s a big one. The v2.5 update adds in loads of new features, far too many to cover in this space, in fact. If you’re interested in hearing more, follow us past the break for all the details.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Storage, Networking
Firmware update brings file conversion, iPhone access to HP’s MediaSmart ex485 / ex487 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Going to Coachella? They’ve released an iPhone app that should be standard for every big music festival ever. Plus, the most addicting iPhone game yet? All in a week’s work in the App Store.
Coachella: I haven’t been to a big festival in a while, but this app really makes me want to go to Coachella, even though Paul McCartney is headlining one of the nights. On top of a complete schedule of who’s playing where and when, the app can also help you and your iPhone equipped friends find each other amidst all the clouds of hash smoke by updating your GPS location. And you can also browse photos taken during the event. Very cool, and free.
Tap Tap Coldplay: It was only a matter of time before megarockers Coldplay got the Tapulous treatment. Now you can pretend to be summoning dulcet mainstream pop with the tap of a touchscreen. Someday it will be that easy. $5.
Doodle Jump: This game has such a great graphic style, I almost wouldn’t care if it was kind of boring or awkward. But it is the opposite of both of those things: using some of the most subtle and accurate tilt controls I’ve yet played with, you guide your little Q-Bert looking guy on his springy journey up, up, up a sheet of graph paper, blasting baddies with nose balls along the way. Laugh with delight as you blow past other players’ actual high score marks scribbled in the margins. This game is so fun. $1
GoodCab BadCab: This is more a fun idea than a great one, as I can’t quite see what functional use this would ever have, but GoodCab BadCab prompts you to enter your cabbie’s medallion number and then rate him or her on driving abilities, friendliness, whether help was given with your bags, and of course, the odor of the cab’s interior, be it pleasant or horrible. What you would then do with this information is anyone’s guess. Maybe a prize for the top-ranked cabbie? It’s free.
Coupon Sherpa: Coupon Sherpa collects scannable coupons for a large assortment of major retailers, letting you browse for currently usable coupons in the store, simply having the cashier zap your iPhone screen with the barcode reader. The list of supported stores is promised to grow—right now according to Brian at Wired it includes several biggies like Walgreens, Target and Macy’s but is lacking essentials like Starbucks, Best Buy or Walmart. $2
This Week’s App News on Giz:
• MLB’s Incredible Web Video Plans: HD With Mosaic Picture-in-Picture, Live Streaming to iPhone
• Giz Explains: All The Smartphone Mobile App Stores
• Nine Inch Nails Shows Every Other Band How to Make an Awesome iPhone App
• Google Voice App Comes to iPhone and iPod Touch Soon
• The Official Star Trek Phaser iPhone App
• Diddy’s Official iPhone App Makes Him Officially Everywhere
• Galaga Remix Lightning Review: Classic Space Shootin’ For iPhone
• Myst For iPhone Preview Video: Hope You Like Tapping
• Apple Counts Down Up to 1 Billion Apps: Win $10,000 iTunes Gift Card, MacBook Pro and More
Also, be sure to check out our new weekly Android App of the Week picks.
This list is in no way definitive. If you’ve spotted a great app that hit the store this week, give us a heads up or, better yet, your firsthand impressions in the comments. And for even more apps: see our previous weekly roundups here, and check out our Favorite iPhone Apps Directory and our original iPhone App Review Marathon. Have a good weekend everybody.
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Apple anxiously awaits the selling of their billionth App download celebration originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Not that there should be any shock surrounding the formal introduction of boxee’s App Box and API — after all, both were teased sufficiently during last month’s bleeding edge alpha release — but we’re still thrilled to see things moving along nicely. This week, the open source media platform launched both an API and an application portal, both of which will act to bring all manners of third-party gems to the media browsing world. boxee doesn’t plan on being any sort of gatekeeper (at least for now), which hopefully will spur innovation and get more developers interested. In related news, ArsTechnica has also found that boxee is currently in talks with a few big players in the hardware space, essentially hoping to get its 1s and 0s onto game consoles, Blu-ray players and other set-top-boxes. There’s no clue as to the whens and wheres, but we suspect this means there will be no dedicated STB in the near future — for better or worse.
[Via ArsTechnica]
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
boxee’s App Box and API go live, could come to other hardware soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The App: One of the most resilient game franchises of all time just hit the App Store today in Galaga Remix, with both the classic Galaga arcade game and an updated Remix version from Namco.
The Price: $6 for full version, with a free Lite version to try as well.
The Verdict: I miss arcades! Galaga Remix does a great job at bringing one of the tried-and-true game forms of our time—the shoot-shit-in-space-that’s-falling-at-your-ship form—and does it up right.
The classic version is great, but I actually prefer the remix—mainly because the fundamentals of the game are completely unchanged. The remix adds power-ups, boss battles and the ability to save your game to start back up at the level you achieved when you had to quit playing before.
You’ve got three options for controls, which is nice: three virtual buttons you can tap to move left/right and fire, a slider that you can drag like the iPhone’s default unlock slider to move your ship, or accelerometer tilting. As you might expect, the accelerometer control is a little awkward, but the other two methods are actually very intuitive.
One weird thing: the controls, and the game in general, feel much more responsive on the updated Remix version than they do in the classic one. This is a shame.
But like I said, the Remix is pretty faithful to the original—with the same great sound effects and music (which are both totally awesome throughout), so it’s a fun diversion. And like several of Namco’s other games which were initially released with sluggish performance, an update could fix it.
Overall, a great game.
Gameplay video via Touch Arcade:
Totally faithful Galaga gameplay, with excellent sound and music
Lots of options for controls, which are responsive
Continue feature in Remix lets you pick up where you left off
Classic version runs slower and is less responsive than Remix
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