Love them or loath them, the community of Apple users are passionate about upgrading their hardware on a regular basis. Although, it is often beyond reason and common sense. It is a sickness that borders on obsessive compulsive behaviors.
Every few months Apple will hold a press conference to announce the next big thing. For weeks before, and in some cases months, the rumor mill will work overtime in an attempt to pre announce the latest product. The aim is to win the blogger wars and maintain bragging rights.
Between the misinformation and the downright ludicrous stories, legions of people cling to every word. In essence it is propaganda and driven purely by advertising revenue. Break a few stories and your site can be self supportive. But of course, don’t worry about your integrity. That no longer exists in the realm of the bedroom blogger.
Continue reading »
Chasing Yello
App Developer: dreamfab
Version Reviewed: 1.1.0
License: FREE – Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
Chasing Yello is by far the most addictive game I have ever come across, on any platform. At first I looked upon it as a quick game to pick up when I had a few spare minutes. The reality is those few minutes turned into hours, and then days. Before I knew it I was thoroughly consumed with a game that features a demonic girl, named Mathilda, and her goldfish Yello.
Defender Series Case for iPhone 5
Company: Otterbox
Price: $49.95 USD
http://www.otterbox.com
I have been using Otterbox cases for my iPhones since I purchased my first iPhone. Well known to be solid and dependable, built to protect an iPhone from just about everything, Otterbox has continued to do so with the Defender case for the iPhone 5.
olloclip Quick Connecting Lens Solution for iPhone
(4S/4 and iPod touch 4th generation)
Company: olloclip
Price: $69.99
I was lucky enough to receive the olloclip 3-IN-ONE PHOTO LENS for the iPhone 4, 4S or 4th generation iPod touch to review. This is a product that changes your device’s camera lens into a Fish Eye, Macro or Wide Angle capable device.
I opened the packaging and was a little distraught at first as I thought I was going to have to cut open one of those sealed plastic blister packs. I’m sure you have come across those hard to open plastic packs. Well, no, not in this instance, because it was clipped together and opened easily. That was a relief.
Continue reading »
iBike Coach and iBike Phone BoothPublisher: Velocomp
Price: $59.95
I had the opportunity to review the iBike Phone Booth, a bike mount for the iPhone, and iBike Coach, a cycling computer app for the iPhone.
Continue reading »
iStreamer
Company: HRT
Price: $199.99
I must admit it, I am a big cynic. I have seen so many advertising and marketing claims about self-proclaimed great products that turn out to be just outright lies and misrepresentations, I have a hard time believing such pitches any more. So when HRT (High Resolution Technologies, Los Angeles, CA.) talked about their iStreamer at the last Macworld | iWorld conference, I just rolled my eyes in disbelief.
I connect my iPhone and iPodTouch to my rather high-end audio system all the time with a simple headphone jack to RCA stereo cable, and for the most part, it sounds fine. Yet, here was this company telling me that I was not getting the full experience of my music from my iOS device. Really? Just how so? So when I was given the chance to borrow an iStreamer unit and test it, I jumped at the chance. I was ready to prove them wrong.
Continue reading »
David Ellefson Rock Shop App
Company: Pocketlabworks, Inc.
Price: $4.99 USD
Anyone who’s familiar with hard rock knows of Megadeth’s bassist, David Ellefson. David has been punching out intense bass tracks for years, and began sharing his wealth of guitar knowledge several years ago on his YouTube channel. David recently kicked up his game a notch with Pocketlabworks’ Rock Shop App.
Take Control of Mail on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch
Company: TidBITS Publishing Inc.
Price: $10.00 USD
Reading email is something everyone does with their iPad. The Mail app is arguably one of the most used apps on any iOS device. Most of the time, reading mail is a painless exercise. There are times when it can be downright aggravating too. TidBITS Publishing’s Take Control Series of eBooks has the answer to just about any question you may have about iOS Mail in Take Control of Mail on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, by Joe Kissell.
Musubo Cases for iPhone 4/4S
Musubo
Price:$34.99
Musubo’s cases for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S are stylish and provide a double layer of protection. The Retro has an exterior hard shell and interior silicon case The Sneaker case provides protection via silicon bumper and a rigid back panel (sole) made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) designed to look like the tread of a sneaker. The Retro and Sneaker cases are both priced at $34.99.
SkySafari 3 Pro
App Developer: Southern Stars
Version 3.5.1
License: US$59.99 (SkySafari Plus US$14.99, SkySafari 3 US$2.99) Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires IOS 4.0 or later.
As an amateur astronomer and a volunteer public observatory telescope operator, I regularly use astronomy related programs and applications. I have reviewed several of the iOS applications here on MyMac.com.
Southern Stars makes SkySafari for Mac OS X, and SkySafari 3 for iOS. It is available in three different performance and cost options: the basic, the Plus, and the Pro version. About a year ago I purchased the SkySafari Plus for my iMac through the Apple App Store. The performance and capabilities of this program on my iMac are excellent.
Continue reading »
Download the show here
Subscribe in iTunes
The Ladies discuss various health and fitness apps and web sites, despite Vicki’s aversion to exercise apps!
Please leave a review or rating on iTunes. Follow us on Twitter @geekyladies
Links:
Web MD
Medscape App
All in One Yoga: 300 Poses App
Lose It! App
YOGAmazing Podcast
Lolofit
Boot Camp Challenge App
Sparkpeople
Download the show here
Subscribe in iTunes
With the fifth anniversary of the iPhone fast approaching, Tim and David take a look back at how it all started, the significant milestones, and how this one product changes the world.
Download the show here
Subscribe in iTunes
We owe Samsung an apology! And a firm finger-shaking Shame On YOU to RIM. In iOS new is RockBand, Robot Wants Kitty, and Lego Harry Potter Years 5 – 7. We wrap things up with the Kindle Fire. It all seems to be Mobile this week!
Download the show here
Subscribe in iTunes
What the heck is Liquid Metal? You will have to listen to this episode of TechFan to find out. Also, is digitizing archived materials actually good? The original Prince of Persia for the Apple II has it’s source code released, and it’s David’s birthday!
Links
Archives digitize 19th century materials for 21st century access
Original Apple II Prince of Persia source code published by creator
How ‘Liquidmetal’ Could Give the Next iPhone Its Special Swagger
Mars Globe HD
App Developer: Midnight Martian
Version 2.2.1
License:US$0.99 (Mars Globe Free) Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone4, iPhone4S, iPod (3rd and 4th generations) and iPad. Requires IOS 3.2 or later.
The Mars Globe HD app is an enjoyable astronomy tool that you can use to learn about the planet Mars and the many space missions that have landed on its surface. The application has been recently updated to run at full resolution on the new iPad.
I’m a volunteer telescope operator at the Flandrau Science Center in Tucson, Arizona. I, along with about a dozen other volunteer telescope operators, take turns several times a month showing the night sky to the public through the Center’s sixteen inch Cassegrain reflector telescope.
The planet Mars has recently passed through opposition to the Sun, which means it is closer to Earth at this time as we orbit the Sun. Rising in the eastern evening sky it appears as a bright, rusty colored star-like object. Observing Mars through the Center’s telescope we can only see some of the subtle coloration details on the surface of this small planet that is roughly half the size of Earth and over seventy-seven million miles away. These subtle variations in color are associated with surface features such as craters, mountains, valleys, and surface materials.
This year is a special year for Mars exploration because we have the Mars Science Laboratory, a rover named Curiosity, en route to the planet and scheduled to land in early August. We can use the Mars Globe HD app to show what those surface details are and even check out where Curiosity is targeted to land.
Lost Little Zombie
App Developer: Rockupied LLC
Version Reviewed: 1.0
License: Free App. Requires 4.3 or later.
Hmmm…brains…need more brains….
Zombies are always on the hunt for brains. It is surprising, that they never end up more intelligent, or less zombie-like.
Little Lost Zombie is the type of game that will turn you into a zombie. That is not necessarily a bad thing. We all like to zone out from reality, and a game that is simple in approach but challenging is always a good way to spend those few minutes of our spare time.
Continue reading »
Back In Time
App Developer: LANDKA
Version Reviewed: 1.2
License: US$4.99 for iPhone
In November 2011, I reviewed the iPad version of Back In Time. It was one of the most informative and beautiful apps I have ever had the chance to review.
Back In Time delivers history like you have never seen before. By placing the history of everything in the known universe within a 24 hour period users are able to navigate through mere minutes in time that represent thousands of years of evolution.
Continue reading »
Tap Alarm Clock
App Developer: AppAnnex, LLC
Version Reviewed: 1.3
License: US$0.99 — Compatible with all iOS 4.0 or later devices
Buzz…buzz…buzz. Time to rise and shine!
If you have problems getting up in the morning then Tap Alarm Clock may be the solution.
AppAnnex, makers of The Flashlight 4-in-1 and Speed Tracker, released an app that expands the humble alarm clock to be a little more colorful.
Continue reading »
Wonderful Day
App Developer: Tenmiles Technologies
Version Reviewed: 1.1
License: US$0.99 Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch running iOS 4 or later
How many times have you made a New Year’s resolution, only to lose interest or put it in the forever pending basket?
Despair no more as the productivity app Wonderful Day will keep you accountable for your actions.
Continue reading »
Mint for iPhone and iPad
Price: Free
Company: Intuit
Mint.com is a free web site that allows users to aggregate their financial information in one place. After creating an account on Mint.com, you can add all of your bank or credit card accounts. From there, Mint.com will combine the transactions of all of your accounts into a single view. Mint.com provides the possibility to clarify each transaction with customizable categories.
Comments. Be heard!