Are the new iPod nano and Apple TV running iOS? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

At Apple’s September 1st media event, Steve Jobs claimed that the iPod touch is the world’s most popular portable game player. They echoed this comment in their subsequent press release about the new iPod touch, as well as on the iPod touch website. But how true is this claim? The investigative journalists at Gamertell.com took that question to Nintendo themselves, and got an answer almost as enigmatic as Apple’s initial claim.

[The iPod touch is “...the world’s most popular portable game player” is] a very bold claim considering that Nintendo (according to Engadget) announced the DS line (DS, DS Lite, DSi and XL) had sold around 129 million units as of May 2010.

Apple rarely gives out specific sales numbers, instead combining the iPhone and iPod Touch together in statistics as “iPhone OS devices.” Based on a few reports and statements (and extrapolation by ZDNet) we assume that, as of May 2010, Apple had sold 25 to 30 million iPod Touches.

I reached out to Nintendo for an official response to Apple’s claims.

Head on over to Gamertell.com to read Nintendo’s response.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

iSink U is the latest take on the classic battleship game, this time taking full use of the iPad’s high-resolution screen to deliver a compeling game with great 2D graphics in a 3D environment. The game offers several levels of game fun, cool battle themes, and animation that makes it worthy of the price you have to pay to get this game running on your iPad.

What is it?

The game is a turn-based strategy battleship game. Obviously, your goal is to sink your opponent’s fleet before your own ships are destroyed. At the start of each game level, you must position your ships strategically to avoid getting hit by opponent’s ships. You are given five types of ships—battleship, submarine, transport, carrier and scout—and you’ll use their arsenal to destroy the opponent’s ships as fast as you can.

How does it work?

To fire at the opponent’s ships, you drag to aim at the exact grid where you want your missiles to land (which hopefully ends up a block where an opponent’s hidden ship is located). To move your ship within your specified grid, you simply tap on them and position the blocks that represent its position either horizontally or vertically. Then you double tap on your ship to drop it to your desired location. Every turn, you can either fire one shot or multiple shots of up to five missiles.

Is it contagious?

Honestly, I’m not really fond of playing Battleship style turn-based strategy games. They bore me outright the moment I start playing them. Interestingly, that changed when I played iSink U iPad Edition. I don’t know…maybe it’s the high-resolution graphics as displayed by my iPad, or maybe I’m starting to get hooked to iPad gaming. Regardless, I played iSink U more than I usually doe with this kind of games.

In short, yes, the game can be pretty addictive, especially if you’ve grown accustomed to the great gaming graphics delivered by the iPad.

Category: Games
Developer: Artificial Life, Inc.
Cost: $0.99
Download: iSink U iPad Edition

Full Story » | Written by Arnold Zafra for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

iPhone live 115: Whoosh! Another 200! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Macintosh product updates and announcements for September 2, 2010:

• Software
• Hardware

Software

• TheMacBundles has released its September Mega Bundle of 15 titles, released 2 Weekly Specials, and added over a dozen titles to its innovative Build Your Own Bundle stores. These no-gimmick bundles provide users with the same software, support, licenses, and upgrade benefits that apply to users who paid the full retail price for the software. The new Weekly Specials provide VMware’s Fusion and InfoLogic’s MathMagic at a bargain price. Ordering MathMagic with a bundle further reduces the price.
• From the makers of EarthDesk, Xeric Design has introduced Cinematica 1.0 for Mac OS X. Cinematica lets you manage your video library in great detail, keeping track of dozens of properties for each and every file. Sort and search by multiple criteria as well as by technical properties. Cinematica uniquely imports and catalogs video files quietly in the background, and uses smart collections to efficiently catalogue all of your video files.
• Web design solutions developer iWeb Themes Park has released five new iWeb Themes for Apple’s web design application. These impressive and surprising iWeb themes include Bright Solutions, Chess Club, Clinic, Historical and Music Life, and designed specifically for Mac users who enjoy making fashionable and highest quality websites easily. The new iWeb Themes feature phenomenal design, ease of use and the possibility to customize each template or every single element.

Hardware

• Newer Technology, Inc., has announced its new $27.95 MSRP NewerTech Seven Port USB 2.0 Powered Hub for connecting and powering up to seven USB devices simultaneously to a Mac or PC with Plug and Play ease. As a complete connectivity solution with a UL listed 3.5 Amp power supply, the NewerTech Seven Port USB 2.0 Powered Hub delivers the required 500mA of power to each of the seven industry standard USB ports to eliminate device disconnection commonly experienced by typical underpowered hubs. Ideal for powering multiple desktop accessories like external drives, scanners, printers, optical drives, and digital cameras, the NewerTech Seven Port USB 2.0 Powered Hub also offers quick access convenience of temporary devices like thumb drives, media readers, and even USB chargeable devices like iPods and iPhones.
• LaCie has spawned a new breed of USB key: the LaCie MosKeyto, an ultra-small flash drive that’s anything but pesky. Joining LaCie’s line-up of award-winning USB keys, MosKeyto ups the ante for power, portability and ease of use. LaCie MosKeyto measures less than 20mm and weighs 10 grams, making it one of the smallest USB keys on the market. Offering capacities up to 16GB, you’ll be pleasantly amazed at how many bytes you can get from such a tiny MosKeyto.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh product updates and announcements for September 2, 2010:

• Software
• Hardware

Software

• TheMacBundles has released its September Mega Bundle of 15 titles, released 2 Weekly Specials, and added over a dozen titles to its innovative Build Your Own Bundle stores. These no-gimmick bundles provide users with the same software, support, licenses, and upgrade benefits that apply to users who paid the full retail price for the software. The new Weekly Specials provide VMware’s Fusion and InfoLogic’s MathMagic at a bargain price. Ordering MathMagic with a bundle further reduces the price.
• From the makers of EarthDesk, Xeric Design has introduced Cinematica 1.0 for Mac OS X. Cinematica lets you manage your video library in great detail, keeping track of dozens of properties for each and every file. Sort and search by multiple criteria as well as by technical properties. Cinematica uniquely imports and catalogs video files quietly in the background, and uses smart collections to efficiently catalogue all of your video files.
• Web design solutions developer iWeb Themes Park has released five new iWeb Themes for Apple’s web design application. These impressive and surprising iWeb themes include Bright Solutions, Chess Club, Clinic, Historical and Music Life, and designed specifically for Mac users who enjoy making fashionable and highest quality websites easily. The new iWeb Themes feature phenomenal design, ease of use and the possibility to customize each template or every single element.

Hardware

• Newer Technology, Inc., has announced its new $27.95 MSRP NewerTech Seven Port USB 2.0 Powered Hub for connecting and powering up to seven USB devices simultaneously to a Mac or PC with Plug and Play ease. As a complete connectivity solution with a UL listed 3.5 Amp power supply, the NewerTech Seven Port USB 2.0 Powered Hub delivers the required 500mA of power to each of the seven industry standard USB ports to eliminate device disconnection commonly experienced by typical underpowered hubs. Ideal for powering multiple desktop accessories like external drives, scanners, printers, optical drives, and digital cameras, the NewerTech Seven Port USB 2.0 Powered Hub also offers quick access convenience of temporary devices like thumb drives, media readers, and even USB chargeable devices like iPods and iPhones.
• LaCie has spawned a new breed of USB key: the LaCie MosKeyto, an ultra-small flash drive that’s anything but pesky. Joining LaCie’s line-up of award-winning USB keys, MosKeyto ups the ante for power, portability and ease of use. LaCie MosKeyto measures less than 20mm and weighs 10 grams, making it one of the smallest USB keys on the market. Offering capacities up to 16GB, you’ll be pleasantly amazed at how many bytes you can get from such a tiny MosKeyto.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Since its release, iTunes 10 has drawn the ire of users, graphic designers or otherwise, because of its peculiar interface. Though iTunes has sometimes sported unusual design characteristics, it has also proven to be Apple’s testing ground for future UI decisions. This time around, Apple has chosen to move the standard red, yellow and green buttons from their normal horizontal arrangement into a vertical arrangement in iTunes 10—an odd decision, to say the least.

If the button placement is bothering you, however, there is a simple process to fix it in OS X.  Simply launch Terminal and paste this:

defaults write com.apple.iTunes full-window -boolean YES

and hit enter. Restart iTunes and the buttons should be back to normal, as they are in the image above. Finally, breathe easy—the human interface guidelines are no longer in violation.

Full Story » | Written by Indraneel Purohit for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

iPhone, iPod and iPad product updates and announcements for September 2, 2010:

• Apps
• Accessories

Apps

• Telltale Games has announced that Puzzle Agent is now available for download for the iPhone and iPad. The widely popular “puzzling adventure with a twist” has captivated players since its June release on PC and Mac, and it’s now bringing its challenging brand of fun to mobile gamers. Optimized for iPhone and iPad mobile platforms, Puzzle Agent was created in collaboration with Graham Annable and is based on his indie comic work, Grickle. The game combines accessible Professor Layton-inspired puzzling, generous doses of Nordic folklore and enigmatic gnomes, with dark David Lynch and Coen brothers inspired sensibilities.
• Experience a world where dreams come true and magic is at every corner with Lamp of Aladdin. Exclusively available for iPad, the new game immerses players into the fairytale adventures of Aladdin and his faithful genie as they challenge players to test their wits in this new, puzzle adventure game. Prepare to embark on an unforgettable adventure with the magic lamp and see how it provides our hero everything (wealth, power, glory) except the affection and heart of his beloved Princess Boudour.
• No Tie’s AutoRingtone app and service empowers users to create custom Talking Ringtones using Text-To-Speech. Now, fans of Fulton Read’s music can combine their favorite songs with the new free Fultones app. Instead of relying on stock ringtones, users can create their own talking “Caller ID” ringtones. Fans of Fulton Read can combine several music clips with the AutoRingtone TTS service to create custom ringtones.
• Hairy Monster Studios has announced Roll Em Hoops HD 1.0, their latest game made exclusively for the iPad. Roll Em Hoops HD combines Skee-Ball like play with the classic basketball shooting games. Flick your finger to roll the ball up the alley into one of five hoops racking up points and unlocking unique and humorous bonus levels such as Rainbow Jumpers, COW, We’ve Got Spirit and Bombs Away. Made exclusively for the iPad, Roll Em Hoops HD features gorgeous graphics and the Ageia PhysX Engine.
• Miniclip is broadening its business to support the mobile gaming platform. With a dedicated audience of more than 57 million casual gamers worldwide and a library of more than 600 online games. Miniclip’s newly formed mobile games division, led by former Skype manager Antonio Sergio Varanda, will develop, publish and distribute its most popular online casual games for mobile operating systems.
• KeitaiArts has announced GameQuartet 1.0, its first game for iPhone and iPod touch. GameQuartet packages four newly created, casual games in a single app: Peg Solitaire, Boule, Sliding Tiles, and Word Squares. Boule is an unusual version of roulette, while the other three games are unique puzzles. The games were designed to be challenging, yet easy to learn. Scrolling text messages provide clear instructions for each stage, while full online help is available for those who want the details.
• Hashsoft has announced myPill 1.0, their first app for iOS. Featuring a friendly intuitive UI and high quality graphics, myPill is an app that helps women who’s taking birth control pills to track their pills pack, remember to take daily pill and plan future events, track history and more. myPill’s icon badge indicates how many pills are left at the pack, or alternatively how many days left until the period start. Users are able to customize the message of alerts, password protect data and more.
• The hardworking developers behind the popular mobile social game, Office Heroes, have cracked the employee suggestion box, going live with two hot updates in one week: push notifications and friend codes. Let the employee appreciation begin! Next up: free pizza and Hawaiian shirt Fridays. Or Vampire Fridays, if that’s your thing.
• Frimby Limited has released SongStumblr 2.0, an update to its music discovery and sharing app for iOS. SongStumblr brings a new form of musical interaction to the App Store, allowing users to share and discover music with people across the globe. Users can listen to discovered songs for free, purchase songs, or find information about songs via online databases. SongStumblr’s new servers bring the world’s music to your device.
• AssistiveWare has announced Proloquo2Go 1.4 for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Version 1.4 is a major update to the premier consumer device-based augmentative and alternative communication solution for people who cannot speak. Costing a fraction of the dedicated devices it rivals in power, portability and easy of use, Proloquo2Go 1.4 has been optimized for the gorgeous retina display of the iPhone 4 and brand new iPod touch and includes updated higher quality voices.
• CR Digital Design, Inc. has announced the launch of AppDictions. AppDictions brings you all the information you need about new and existing applications for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. AppDictions filters through the 350,000+ apps in the App Store to bring you up-to-date on relevant news regarding apps, as well as providing detailed app reviews. The website gives developers the resource to advertise their app, gain useful review information for future updates, and much more.
• ComboApp has announced a discount of its 3D Coloring Book for Kids app for the iPad that is effective immediately. Created specifically for the iPad and designed to encourage children’s artistic development, 3D Coloring Book for Kids will be on sale until September 7th. True to its namesake, 3D Coloring Book for Kids offers users the ability to draw in three dimensions rather than two, allowing them to rotate and move original content around within the app.
• Appmania has announced Farm it! 1.0, their new game for iPad devices. Farm it is an enthralling and colorful arcade about the passionate rooster’s escapades whose aim is to procreate as many offsprings as possible. All farms around the world are in a big trouble, all of their chicks have disappeared. The last hope of the chicken population lies with the Young Rooster, a real hero. Offering fun and exciting game play, Farm it! features charming characters and more.
• Mindwarm Incorporated has released Swami Roberts 1.0 for iPhone, Android, iPad and iPod touch. Swami Roberts can answer your most secret questions. This universal app for iPad and iPhone is available in the Entertainment category of the iTunes App Store. The Android version is in the Google Market. Swami Roberts will give you a yes or no answer to your secret question. No one has updated the Magic 8 ball for smartphone technology - until now. Swami Roberts knows your answer.

Accessories

• The first generation of Speck’s exclusive Fitted Artsprojekt cases for the iPhone 4 are now available, bringing artist-inspired visual stimulation and trusty device protection to a lucky limited number. Available for the first time at select Best Buy stores, these four all-new releases were designed by members of the groundbreaking international Artsprojekt syndicate for a totally original, inspired look.
• Small businesses can now get everything they need in one package to quickly start processing credit cards on their iPhone. Intuit Inc. and mophie have announced the availability of the Complete Credit Card Solution, an all-in-one product that enables small businesses to easily process credit card payments via the Apple iPhone. It integrates Intuit’s GoPayment credit card processing app and quick-to-activate merchant account with the mophie marketplace iPhone credit card reader. This package is now available in Apple Retail Stores and soon on Apple.com
• AG Findings has announced the availability of the Beetle case in its much-anticipated iPhone 4 case collection, at AT&T retail stores nationwide. The Beetle cases are crafted to be slim and light-weight for ultimate comfort, and are available in a broad range of bold colors. The design allows access to the device’s camera and controls. Each case is also engineered with a shock absorbing liner to provide superior impact protection.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Old Apple TV won’t be getting new Apple TV features is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog