Amplitube ($19.99)

Version – 1.0

Review – “Turn your iDevice into an amazing portable Guitar and Bass MultiFX unit!”

The day that I first saw the announcement for this app I thought I was in a dream world. Could it really be possible to recreate all different kinds of guitar effects and amps with an app for my iPhone? After attempting to wake myself up and realizing that I was really awake, I contacted the people over at IK Multimedia and they were kind enough to supply me with the required hardware piece and a copy of the app to take a look at!

In order for this app to work correctly you need a small piece of hardware called the “iRig.” The iRig allows you to plug your guitar and a headset or speakers into the headphone jack on your iPhone, iTouch, or iPad. The build of the hardware itself is very sleek, and the connections all fit good and tight as well. You’ll want to get your iRig plugged in and ready before you open the app up.

Once you get your iRig setup and open the AmpliTube app you’ll be greeted by the home screen. The interface for both the iPhone and iPad have the same basic elements, it’s just a little easier to get to everything on the iPad because of the larger screen. On the iPhone you can switch between all of the effects, amps and tools by touching the buttons at the top of the screen. The iPad puts the effects at the top of the screen and the amps at the bottom of the screen.

If you’re at all familiar with setting effects up with stomp boxes you’ll feel right at home with this app.You’ll notice that a lot of the stomp boxes have a similar look to ones that you’re already familiar with. This makes it a lot easier to get an idea of exactly what kind of sounds the effect your working with is capable of.

While the effects are all really cool, I think the best part of this app is the amp simulators. Not only can you use a variety of different amps, but you have all of the knobs that you would expect to have available in this app! For example, the “clean” amp has a very clean “bluesy” sound and has knobs to control volume, bass, mid, treble, presence, reverb, and two knobs for controlling the tremolo effect.

I could go on for pages about all the great features of this app and how it works, but you really just have to hear it for yourself! If you’d like to hear it I’ve recorded myself playing through this app in the embedded video above.  The audio of my playing is about half way through the video and was recorded by plugging the iRig directly into the mic input of my Kodak Zi8 camera. You’ll also find some more audio samples at http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/amplitube-irig-for-iphone-audio-demo-256594.

So I’m sure by now you’re probably wondering how to get your hands on this amazing app/hardware combination? Well the iRig hardware is scheduled to start shipping the first week of July. It’s selling for $39.99 and you can preorder yours today from their website at http://www.ikmultimedia.com. While you’re waiting for your iRig to arrive you can go ahead and check out the Amplitube app as the iPhone/iTouch version is currently available in the app store!

One small disclaimer here: if you are using a 1st generation iPhone/iPod Touch AmpliTube is not listed as being compatible with them. With that said, the AmpliTube app itself comes in three flavors: AmpliTube FREE, AmpliTube LE($2.99), and AmpliTube($19.99). The free app includes 3 stompboxes, 1 amp, 1 cabinet, and 2 mics, while the LE version adds 2 more stomp boxes for just $2.99. If you’d like access to all 11 stomp boxes, and all of the various amp models and cabinets you can have it all for just $19.99!

Whether you’re just looking for good way to practice quietly at home, or you need some killer effects for a recording you’re working, AmpliTube is more than capable with the iRig hardware attachment! So what are you waiting for? If you haven’t already, head to the App Store and check out the iPhone version of AmpliTube today!

- David H.

Download Now! – Free Version

Download Now! – LE Version ($2.99)

Download Now! – Full Version ($19.99)

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Developer – IK Multimedia US, LLC

URL: http://www.ikmultimedia.com/irig/features/

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DAILY APP GIVEAWAY

Each Day we give away promo-codes so you can get FREE apps!! Check
our posts daily or subscribe to our FREE spam free feed.

*** Today’s Promo Codes ***

– Punch Power Meter Pro – Speed & Force Detector –
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– iTripping – Touch & Relax. Best Way To Chill Out! –
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If you have any questions, or are unsure how to redeem promo codes, please check out the following link on Apple’s website! — http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1917

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© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

Siri Assistant (Free)

Version 1.0

REVIEW – ” A great voice recognition app that really gets things done.”

Siri Assistant may be the best free iphone app that I have come across in a very long time. There were many moments that I wondered why an app like this would be given away for free, because it is incredibly efficient and useful.

With most voice recognition apps I expect to be misheard and definitely misunderstood at least half the time. This was not true with Siri, there were only a few instances where the app did not pick up on what I was trying to say, and sometimes it even worked with noises and voices in the background.

Siri combines many apps that I already have on my iPhone into one easy to use, voice activated app. Need to find a good restaurant, movie times or flight information? Siri can do all of that and more simply by my asking it to.

All I had to do was click say and something like ” Table for 4 Texas de Brazil tomorrow” led me to Open Table where I could see the available times for the following evening. I could look up information for a Delta flight and not only see where it was landing and when but I could see a map of where it was on its journey.

Siri can even find local shops and businesses, give you quick link to call them or lead you to more information and directions. When I looked up movie times for the local theater I could even get movie summaries or watch the movie trailer, all within one voice activated app. This is great for when I am driving and want to get an idea of when things are playing without having to do any typing at all.

The voice recognition might give you a bit of trouble if you have an accent but my husband was able to get it working for him, though many of his requests were a bit strange and obscure to begin with.

I was truly impressed by this app and it is one that I can really see myself using quite often as an easy way to get directions, movie times, nearby restaurants…I can even do a web search by saying “ask bing” which means that just about everything that I use the iPhone for can now be easily voice activated.

Give this app a try while you can because I enjoyed it and since it is free, you really cannot go wrong.

Stephanie S.

Download Now!

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Developer – Siri, inc.

© 2010, StephanieS. All rights reserved.

iCall Free VoIP (Free)

Version – 1.2.5

REVIEW – “Bad reception at home?  iCall to the rescue!”

One of the things that I had to compromise a while back when I got my first iPhone was my cell phone service.  Now don’t get me wrong, AT&T has very fast 3G service, and I don’t have any more problems in most areas with reception than I did with my previous carrier.  The problem is that my house seems to be a dead zone!  Since I don’t have a home phone this made it difficult for people to get ahold of sometimes.  That is until I started using iCall Free VoIP!

I’ve tried a variety of different VoIP calling services in the past, but most of them are either difficult to set up or didn’t offer some of the features that I wanted to have like an incoming call number.  The greatest feature of this app in my opinion is in the ease of use factor which was definitely refreshing!

When you open iCall for the first time you will need to set up what kind of plan you’ll be using.  If all you want to do is be able to make phone calls one of the options is completely free!  The setup for this kind of account consists of making a phone call to a number to confirm what your cell phone number is.  Once you’ve done that all you have to do is dial any number to call out over WiFi or the cell network.  The great thing is that you can start a call at home on WiFi and then continue it when you leave the house on 3G or EDGE!

But what if you’re like me and you need people to be able to get ahold of you at home as well as be able to call out over WiFi?  Well for just $10 a month you can get unlimited outgoing and incoming calls to your own private number!  There are a variety of area codes to select numbers from, although I was disappointed to see that there were not any local numbers to my area.  With that said, there are a variety of area codes available and they are constantly adding more!

Now I’m sure you’re probably wondering how you can receive calls with no cell connection.  Well as long as your home WiFi is set up properly you will receive a push notification over WiFi that will let you know when you have an incoming call!  When you receive the message all you have to do is touch answer to open up iCall and answer the call immediately!

One of the most important things with a service like this is always going to be call quality.  I was very pleased with the quality of calls using my 3GS phone.  I made and received several calls to both local and long-distance numbers and didn’t seem to have any problems.  With that said, my wife seemed to have problems with choppy audio on her iPhone 3G.  It didn’t happen all the time though so it’s possible that it had more to due to some of the memory problems that the 3G has.

This app also offers a decent array of features that you would expect.  It allows you to use your iPhone contacts list from directly within the app, it shows you a list of calls that you’ve made recently and it also offers a voice mail box that is particularly useful if you decide to pay for a personal incoming number.

While this app is really great I did have a few things that I would really like to see added in the future.  The first is that it could use a “speakerphone” feature.  As of now there is no way to put a call on speakerphone which is particularly annoying if you are trying to use a touchtone menu on a company’s answering machine.  The second thing that would be really nice is if there was an incoming call list.  It’s great that you can see what phone calls you’ve made in the past, but more often what I want to check is who I’ve received calls from.

Overall, this app is definitely a winner in my book.  The best part is there is that the basic service works well and its cheap.  Some of the little things within the app should be easy to add/fix and make this app even more amazing.  If you’ve been debating on getting a home phone number because of reception problems, I simply cannot recommend this app enough.  The ability to make sure your phone calls have a strong signal and don’t get dropped while at home is worth a lot more than the cheap $10 a month that they are charging people!  So what are you waiting for?  See what all the fuss is about and try out the outgoing call feature of iCall today!

- David H.

Download Now!

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Developer – iCall, Inc.

URL: http://www.icall.com/iphone/

© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies ($9.99)

Version – 1.2.0

REVIEW – “A great new map pack for an amazing mobile game!”

You may remember a little while back that I did a review of Call of Duty World at War Zombies.  At the time they had just released a free version of the app that allowed you to play 3 levels and that is what I used to write the review.  Well just recentlyActivision released a new map that you can download via in-app purchase for just $4.99!  I’d like to thank Activision for sending me the gift card to download and review!

If you’ve ever played the console version of Zombies that is include in Call of Duty World at War you’ll feel right at home with this game.  The first level “Nacht Der Untoten” has been out for a while now and is definitely a blast.  If you’re interested in details about gameplay or my thoughts on that level then you should check out my original review at http://www.appshouter.com/call-of-duty-world-at-war-zombies-iphone-app-review/.

Once you’ve downloaded the game all you have to do to install the new map, “Verruckt” is touch the “New Maps” button from the main menu.  It will take a few seconds, depending on the speed of the connection you are using, and then the map pack will install automatically.  Now I’m sure there are a lot of you out there saying to yourselves that $4.99 is a little bit steep to just add one more map to this game.  I can assure you that it is definitely worth it!

One of the things I was very curious about with this level, is how well it would perform with the larger level and how much the “perk-a-cola’s” would add or take away from the gameplay.  I was pleasantly surprised that the developers had not copied the gameplay exactly from the console game, but instead did a good job of tailoring it to the iPhone platform.  The perks all work as you would expect, the most useful perk is definitely the Juggernaut perk which increases the damage you can take before you go down.  At least that’s my opinion, I’m sure that other people will have their own favorite.

Something I had not been able to test previously was the multiplayer.  It is worth noting that there are several options that you can choose from here.  You can play over your local WiFi network with up to 3 other people, over a Bluetooth connection with 1 other person or you can play “online” with up to 3 other people as long as you have a WiFi connection available.  While the WiFi may seem like an unnecessary restriction I can assure you that trying to play a game of this type over a cell phone internet connection would be mediocre at best.

Overall I was very impressed with online play.  I managed to make it to level 18 with the help of someone else over the internet on my first try!  Something that is noticeably lacking is an integrated high score list for online play.  You can go online to view a high score list but you have to leave the app to do so.

I would have to say that this is probably the most exciting game I have played on my iPhone.  And not only that but the new map pack has gone beyond just adding a level, it has opened up so much more depth in game play.  Whether you’ve played the original console version or not this game will offer hours of enjoyment.  I seriously had a hard time putting this one down to write this review!  If you like first person shooters don’t waste another moment!  Head to the App Store and download Zombies today!

- David H.

Download FREE VERSION Now!

Download FULL VERSION Now! ($9.99)

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Developer – Activision Publishing, Inc.

URL: http://www.callofduty.com/supplies/codwawzombies

© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

Meebo (Free)

Version – 1.1

REVIEW – “mobile IM made easy!”

I have tried lots of different IM clients for iPhone and iPod touch.  Unfortunately most of the good ones tend to come at a price.  Some of them are not too expensive, while some of them can cost $10 or more!  What if I were to tell you that you could get a good IM client with push notifications built for free?  Well thanks to Meebo, now you can!

The first thing you’ll need to do when you open up Meebo is set up an account.  Once you set up your Meebo account you’ll be able to log in to all of the other accounts that you set up from Meebo.com!  Setting up accounts is extremely simple.  All you have to do is select the type of account that you’d like to setup and enter your username and password.

Once you have everything setup the way you want it the interface is extremely wasy to navigate.  At the bottom of the screen is a menu with three buttons: “Buddies,” “Chats,” and “Accounts.”  This allows you to have quick and easy access to your list of friends, to your open conversations and to set your status globally for all of your accounts.

One of the things that impressed me the most is the response time of this app.  One of things that I’ve noticed with chat clients is that some of them have a considerable delay when chatting with friends.  With most of them it is not unbearable, but with Meebo even the push notifications are snappy.  I tested it using several interfaces including Facebook and MSN and the push notifications take just a couple of seconds from the time the messages are sent.

Another thing that I really liked about Meebo is that it loads up very quickly.  If you receive a message while it is closed and choose to view the message within Meebo it loads very quickly and takes you directly to that conversation.  Another awesome thing about Meebo is that all of your conversation history is saved to your account and you can see it if you login via Meebo.com

Really the only negative that I can think of with this app is that it is not quite as customizable as some apps.  There is not really a way to select what kind of push notifications you receive via the app, there are no customizable skins to change the look of Meebo, and I’m not exactly sure how long it keeps you logged in to your accounts if you don’t open the app up.

If you’ve been looking for a good messaging client then listen to me when I say this.  I have tried virtually all of the IM clients out there, paid and free, and I have not found one that is easier to use and more responsive than this one.  In short, if you haven’t already spent money on a IM client and you want a simple app that just works, look no further than Meebo!  At the very least you should give it a try.  So what are you waiting for?  Download it today!

- David H.

Download Now!

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Developer – Meebo, Inc.

URL: http://www.meebo.com/iphone/

© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

Star Walk ($2.99)

Version – 3.6

REVIEW – “Explore the mysteries of the universe on your iPhone!”

One of the hottest apps of 2009 has just received a new update the Valentine’s Day holiday!  Continue reading down to the bottom to find out how you can win your own copy of this fun and very educational app!  Star Walk basically shows how the stars are laid out in the sky.  But the stars are always moving right?  Well thanks to this amazing app you can actually look at what they sky looks like in any place on the globe on any given day and time!

When I opened up Star Walk for the first time I was a little bit intimidated with all of the information on the screen.  The actual app is very simple to use though.  The screen that you see when you open the app up shows you a variety of information such as  how full the moon is and the angle that several different planetsand also the sun are at in the sky.

Once you close the opening window you will see a part of the sky on the screen.  You can navigate around in several different ways.  The easiest is to just touch and drag around the screen.  As the move around the sky you’ll see the names of different constellations, planets and even stars if you touch and select them.  If any of the constellations move into the center of the screen then an outline of that constellation will show up with the appropriate lines drawn between the stars.

One of the coolest features of this app is its use of the iPhone 3GS accelerometer and compass.  This app manages to use this hardware to allow you to simply point your device in the direction you are looking.  Once you point your device up in the sky it will automatically change the part of the sky you are viewing to the part of the sky that your iPhone is facing.  This makes this app the perfect tool for an astronomy novice to figure out exactly what they are looking at!

While this app is very easy to use for anyone, it also allows you to view the sky from  a variety of different places and times if you are really into astronomy.  If you touch the button in the upper right corner, a timeline will pop up which will allow you to drag it up or down to the date and time you’d like to view.

To view the what the sky looks like from other locations, other than your current one, all you have to do is touch the button in the lower right corner, and then touch the little globe icon.  This will bring up an overview of the globe where you can just touch the location that you’d like to view the sky from.  If you’d rather just type your desired location you can do so by touching the button in the lower left corner of this screen.

While this app is very simple to use once you get the hang of it, it would have been nice to have a little more description.  It was not always obvious what the little icons represent.  The good thing is that if you are curious there are detailed instructions on how to use everything if you touch the icon in the upper left corner and then touch the question mark that pops up.

This app was featured by Apple as one of the best apps of 2009 and I would highly recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in astronomy!  If you’d like to get a free promo code for it I received several codes from the developer.  To enter to win you must do two things: (1) Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/iHayward, and (2) tweet the following message, “@iHayward Win a free promo code for the Star Walk iPhone app. It was featured by Apple in Best Apps of 2009! – http://bit.ly/bbq3zN”  It’s that simple! I will select winners on Tuesday February 16^th so good luck and thank you for visiting us at AppShouter!

- David H.

Download Now!

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Developer – Vito Technology Inc.

URL: http://vitotechnology.com/star-walk.html

© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

Documents To Go Premium ($14.99)

Version – 3.0

REVIEW – “Take your documents on the road!”

There have been a variety of tools for the iPhone OS that allow you to view and interact with Microsoft Office Documents, but few of them are as easy to use or as powerful as Documents To Go by Dataviz!  If you work with Microsoft Office files regularly this app is one iPhone app that you need to have installed!

When you open this app for the first time you will be greeted by a “Getting Started” screen.  There are 6 pages of information on the basics of how Documents To Go works.  I would highly recommend that you go through and read it all as it will give you a much better idea of what this app is capable of and how to do various functions.

One of the best things about the Documents To Go app is all the ways that you can connect to your content!  One of the first things you’ll want to do is set up these various content-syncing and access features to make getting your documents easier.  You can do this by touching the settings button in the upper left corner of the screen.  All of the steps to set up your exchange account and desktop sync are detailed in the “Getting Started” pages.

Once you get all of your content information set up like you want it, accessing your information could not be easier!  At the main screen you will see three tabs under the “My Files” heading where you can access “Local Files” which are files not synced anywhere that are stored on your device, “Desktop Files” that are synced through the Documents to go Desktop application and “Attachments” which is a list of all the attachments inside emails in your exchange/Gmail accounts inbox!

Just below the “My Files” area you’ll also see a “Recent Files” area that always shows the last 5 documents that you’ve opened.  This makes it extremely easy to leave this app and get right back to whatever you were viewing/editing next time you open it up!

When editing documents the interface is very similar between different types of documents.  There are all of the basic features as far as formatting goes such as bullets, font formatting, etc.  The basic interface for all three editors is having a menu bar at the bottom with small icons for various different functions.  You can scroll the menu bar left and right by swiping to reveal different types of functions.  At the top of the screen you see a button to turn the keyboard on and off and another to take you back to the menu.

One of the best features of this app is what the developer calls “InTact Technology.”  What this means is that if you are editing a document that you created on your desktop it will retain all of its original formatting!  What this means is that you can quickly add last minute changes to a document directly from your phone without sacrificing visual presentation!

The best thing about this app is that all of the small things that can be irritating if not done right just work.  From copy and paste functionality to landscape mode and email integration this app simple to use and at the same time effective.  Whether you are a professional that is constantly in the field, or you are just on a trip to Grandma’s and need access to your office files, Documents To Go is one of the most complete mobile office solutions available for the iPhone and iPod Touch platform!  So what are you waiting for?  Get your copy today!

- David H.

Download Documents to Go Now! ($9.99)

Download Documents to Go Premium Now! ($14.99)

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Developer – DataViz, Inc

URL: http://www.dataviz.com/products/documentstogo/iphone/

© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

NBC Olympics on AT&T (Free)

Version – 1.1

REVIEW – “The easiest way to follow the Olympic games!”

It’s that time again already.  In just a few days the Winter Olympics will be starting up and there will be all kinds of events from bobsled, to skiing going on again.  The question now is how are you going to follow all your favorite events while still keeping up with your regular schedule?  Well NBC and AT&T have come up with a solution for you in the form of an iPhone app, and it just received its first content in an update today!

When you open up the app you will start on the “Now” screen.  This screen contains a combination of stories, photos and videos of what’s going on with the Olympics at the time.  Since the Olympics haven’t officially started quite yet there is also a “Countdown to Vancouver” on this page as well that shows how many days, hours, minutes and seconds until the opening ceremonies!

The menu at the bottom of the screen has several different options.  You can search through information by sports, schedules or favorites.  The information is laid out well, and it looks like there will be a lot more information once the games actually get started.  One of the best features of this app is the “Social” feature.  You can link this app with your Facebook and/or Twitter accounts and actually interact with some of the athletes that are participating!

While the rest of the app is great, my favorite part is the “Schedules” screen.  On this one screen you have quick access to not just when the events are actually happening, but also what time they are showing on TV, when you are available on the internet and the ability to look at times for events based on the sport you are interested in or the country you would like to follow!  The information is easy to scan through and is detailed.  However, I was not able to preview the online schedule just yet because it has not been released.

While time will tell just how often this app gets updated, and how good the information is, the interface is certainly very good!  That combined with up to date schedules and even push notifications for your favorite sports makes this a must have app for any sports fan!  If you love the Olympics as much as I do but just don’t have the time to follow it sometimes there has never been a better solution that this app, so download it today!

- David H.

Download Now!

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Developer – AT&T Services, Inc.

URL: http://www.nbcolympics.com/mobile/?__itunes

© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

FastMall (Free)

Version – 2.0

REVIEW – “Discover a new way to shop with your mobile device!”

There are literally hundreds of developers out there, and they’re all looking for that next app that’s going to change the way we do things.  While a lot of apps that are released seem to be gimmicky, FastMall by MindSmack has not only come up with a great idea, but has done a great job of surrounding that idea with lots of useful features!

FastMall is the only app that you need when you take a trip to the mall!  Not only will it give you directions to your local mall but it also does a variety of things from keeping track of where you parked to finding you a store’s phone number and the latest deals!  Thankfully, while it does do a lot of things, this app still manages to keep the interface simple enough for anyone to just pick it up and starting using it.

When you open up FastMall the main screen is filled with 9 icons.  The main page works a lot like your device’s main app screen.  If you touch and hold on one button the icons will all start shaking and you can rearrange them however you want.  When you have them all just where you want them you can go back go back to normal by pressing the red “Done” button in the lower left corner of the screen.

Finding a mall is as easy as touching the “Malls” button.  This will default to showing the malls that are closest to your current location, but you can search for malls in any location by using the search bar at the top of the screen.  You can also search malls by mall name and view only your “My Malls” list if you are logged into your FastMall account!

As great a resource as the mall finder is this is just the beginning of what this app can do!  Once you find the mall you are interested in and select it you will be taken to a screen with several different options.  The first option is the “Virtual Map.”  Unfortunately, I was unable to fully test this feature because the closest mall currently in their database was almost 200 miles from where I live.  The good news is though that they are adding new maps constantly, and they listen to customer feedback to help them select the next malls that they add!

While I was unable to actually use the Virtual Map feature at my local mall, I did load up a mall that had this feature available and look at it.  I was impressed to say the least!  What this feature basically does is show you a detailed map of the mall and then overlays it with important information such as where the restrooms are, where the theater is in the mall if there is one, and it also allows you to select a store or location in the mall and get turn by turn “directions” to it no matter where you are in the mall!

Another thing that is really great about this app is that you can easily add your favorite malls to the home screen.  When you have a mall you want to add open all you have to do is scroll down to the bottom and touch the “Add This Mall To Main Menu” button.  While most of the options on the main menu are useful, some of them you will use less frequently and this allows you to have one touch access to your favorite malls!

What will make or break an app like this is the details, and that is where this app excels.  All the way down to the little things like the integrated “Where Did I Park?” feature.  Yes there is already an app for that, but if you are using this as your virtual mall assistant did you really want to close it and go find another app to help you find your car?  Honestly with all the features of this app, the time it could potentially save, and the money you could save by staying informed on the latest deals I would have expected this app to be attached to some kind of fee.   That is why for the price of free this is one app that you should not pass up.  If you don’t already have this app on your phone, you need to download it today!

- David H.

Download Now!

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Developer – MindSmack, LLC

URL: http://www.fastmall.com/

© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

Classics (Free)

Version 1.3

Review – “Have some of the greatest novels ever written right at your fingertips!”

I love being able to showcase great apps when they become free and Classics is one such app. Free for a limited time this app allows you to read those classics novels you always meant to read but never got a chance to.

This app is great if you have always meant to get around to reading those classic novels but never had the free time. Now you can have all the greats such as my personal favorites, The Count of Monte Cristo and Dracula. But there are more than two dozen more like Treasure Island, Pride and Prejudice, Hound of the Baskervilles, Paradise Lost, The Odyssey, Alice and Wonderland and Frankenstein. Some of them even have the added bonus of being illustrated like A Christmas Carol and Through the Looking Glass.

The look of this app is perfect. When you first open it, you see all the books lined up on the shelves displaying them like the works of art they are. All you have to do is tap the book you want to read and you are taken right to the first page. The page looks like a real book and when you slide your finger across the screen, the pages turn like a real book as well.

You can click the button on the top right to see all the chapter headings, just in case you want to go to a specific part of the novel. Perfect for anyone that has read the book before and just wants to go through and quickly get to all of their favorite parts.

Perhaps one of my favorite features is that when I click the top left “home” button it places a bookmark right where I left off. Then when I reopen the app and return to the book it opens up right where I left off.

This is perhaps the closest you can get to recreating the feeling of holding a book in your hands and reading it, without having the book with you. I think the interface, the look and just the overall feel of this app and the selections it offers is perfect.

I would like to have the option to choose the font size and look of the pages. That way I can choose whether I want the text large or small (which is a relative term considering the size of the screen). But other than that I truly believe that you should grab this app before it goes back up to the $2.99 price tag (which would still make this app a great deal).

Stephanie S.

Download Now!

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Developer – Andrew Kaz & Phill Ryu

URL: http://www.classicsapp.com/

© 2010, StephanieS. All rights reserved.

Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies ($9.99)

Version – 1.1.0

REVIEW – “An amazing port of an intense first person shooter!”

For any veteran of console first person shooters the Call of Duty series is hard to ignore.  One of my favorite gameplay modes of all time in Call of Duty was the “Nazi Zombies” mode that was added as an extra to Call of Duty World at War!  Needless to say my jaw dropped as I drooled over the prospect of a direct port of that mode to the iPhone/iPod Touch platform.  If you have thought about downloading this game in the past but have not because of the price, you really need to download the “Lite” version that they have just released and check it out!

The graphics of this game just blew me away.  From the opening splash movie directly from the console version, to all of the details on the weapons, zombies and environment!  What is really impressive is all of the stuff that is going on at the same time and yet the frame rate always manages to stay steady.  The sound effects and music are also top notch and definitely add to the experience as they do in the console version of the game.

What really sets this game above other games of this genre though is the replay factor.  I don’t even know how many hours I spent playing this game on my Xbox 360 but I know that experience that you get with this game is every bit as addicting.  And, true to the console versions, this game also supports multiplayer with up to 4 people total over WiFi!

When playing afirst person game like this the control scheme(s) is going to be extremely important!  Thankfully the developer included three different control schemes, and plenty of customization for each of them!  I tried each of the three configurations and I liked the traditional “dual stick” scheme.  The Accelerometer is a creative way to work controls but I found it to be a little frustrating.  Honestly if you practiced with it though it would probably be the most effective scheme once you mastered it.

In case you are unfamiliar with the “zombies” game the basic idea is that you are trapped in a building and the zombies are trying to get inside to eat you.  You start out with just a pistol and you earn points for each zombie you kill as well as for repairing the blockades on the entrances to the building.  The zombies come in “waves” and each round they get stronger, faster and more numerous.  Along the way you get to buy new weapons and unlock new areas with the points that you are earning.  The game goes on until you can no longer hold the zombies off and you die.

I can honestly say that I have played very few iPhone games that are as polished as this one is.  If you’ve been waiting for a solid FPS on this platform then you should definitely check this game out!  The part is that now, because they have released a “Lite” version you can check out the graphics and gameplay without spending a dime!  I contend that once you see how amazing this game looks and plays that you will find that there is not another game in the App Store that delivers an experience of this quality, so check it out today!

- David H.

Download FREE VERSION Now!

Download FULL VERSION Now! ($9.99)

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Developer – Activision Publishing, Inc.

URL: http://www.callofduty.com/supplies/codwawzombies

DEVELOPERS NOTE

Download FREE VERSION Now!

Download FULL VERSION Now! ($9.99)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

Tweetie 2 ($2.99)

Version – 2.1

REVIEW – “Stay connected no matter where you go!”

There have been a myriad of iPhone apps that have been released, both paid and free, that will give you access to your Twitter account on the go.  Some of them are very good, and some of them quite frankly cripple your ability to use Twitter for what it’s designed for, sharing information.  If you have been looking for that perfect app that both performs well and will do what you need it to do, I would encourage you to check out one of the premier Twitter clients for iPhone and iPod Touch, Tweetie 2!

The developers of Tweetie took what was already a good app in Tweetie and completely rewrote the code from the ground up.  The resulting app is Tweetie 2!  One of the most amazing benefits of this rewrite is how clean the code is and how quickly everything runs.  As you might imagine I spend a lot of time downloading and playing with various apps because I do reviews on a regular basis.  Because of this I commonly have trouble with certain apps crashing on me until I either clear my memory or reboot my phone.  In all of the hours of using Tweetie 2 I have not had it crash on me one time, even when I was using intensive functions like the camera and built in web browser!

While obviously reliability and speed are important factors in a good twitter client there are other things to consider.  Some apps are designed for “power users” and are stuffed full of advanced features that help you stay connected with all your networking tools.  Other apps are more focused on having a simple interface that anyone can just pick up and start using naturally.  What sets Tweetie above so much of its competition is that it has managed to be both extremely simple to learn and yet it still manages to have most of the “power user” features available as well!

The main home screen has five buttons along the bottom, your currently viewed section in the middle and a bar at the top with a post message button in the upper right corner and a button to go back to the accounts screen in the upper left corner.  The different screens at the bottom are used to view your tweets from “All Friends,” those directed @ you, direct messages and also allow you to search twitter for specific words.  The button in the far right of the menu bar will bring up a screen that allows you to view your profile information, favorite tweets and any unsent drafts that you might have.

Interacting with your messages is the best part of this app.  Touching a tweet will bring it up full screen and also allow you to travel to any links that are in that tweet and/or view the profile of the person that tweeted the message.  If you’d like more advanced options for a message all you have to do is “swipe” to the left or right on a tweet and it will be replaced with a menu with lots of options for doing everything from replying or retweeting their message to favoriting it or viewing their profile!

Want to use multiple accounts? No problem!  Touching the “Accounts” button will take you to a screen where you can manage what accounts you have set up to use with Tweetie, as well as set your more advanced options up by touching the “Settings” button inthe bottom left corner.  On this screen you’ll find all kinds of options from what name to display for your accounts to what font size and services you want to set up for things like image sharing and URL shortening.

Many people will probably look at this app and say that they chose not to download it because there are so many free alternatives.  While this may be true, I would counter that by saying that none of them have the depth of features, ease of use, speed and reliability that this app prides itself on.  Whether you are a casual user, or a serious marketing whiz do yourself a favor and stop using that inferior Twitter client just to save a couple dollars.  Instead, head to the App Store and download Tweetie 2 today!

- David H.

Download Now!

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Developer – atebits LLC

URL: http://www.atebits.com/tweetie-iphone/

DEVELOPERS NOTES

Download Now!

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© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

Lux Touch (Free)

Version 1.0.1

REVIEW – “It’s like Risk on steroids!”

I don’t know about you but as a kid I loved playing Risk, it was a fun strategy game that I was usually unbeatable at. I was so excited when I heard about Lux Touch because not only can I play by myself (and avoid the sore losers who complain that the game is more about luck than anything else) and get through a game in a matter of minutes.

Now before we start off I will say this, this game is far from perfect. It comes with absolutely no instructions whatsoever (while I like the assumption that Risk is such a great game that everyone knows the rules, this is simply not true) so I will spend a few moments here going over the basics of the game.

You are blue, and you are competing against the other three colors (black, orange and green). You want to conquer as many countries as possible and you really want to conquer entire continents. If you conquer at least one country on your turn you get a card, and eventually you get enough cards to make a set and that leads to bonus armies, so always try to conquer a country if you can. You also get bonuses for controlling an entire continent at the beginning of your turn.

So how to do you play? Well you will notice when the game starts that you have a few blue countries with a random number of armies on them. You want to attack enemy countries but you never want to attack a country that has a higher number of armies than you. A good rule of thumb is to try and have a three to one advantage but once you get into the higher numbers that is not always necessary.

Now when the game starts out I would recommend picking an area and just slowly building up armies (while remembering to take over one country a turn) and then start unleashing your fury once you have a significant build up of armies.

The game play moves very quickly which can get you a little frustrated when you watch your enemy take over half the map in a matter of seconds, but the tables can turn just as quickly. I also thought the sound effects and explosions were a nice touch.

The game sounds a little tricky but you will catch on fast and in no time you will be loving this game. The game play is easy enough though sometimes I noticed it became a little difficult to transfer armies the way I wanted at the end of my turn (maybe my fingers are just too big).

This game is very fun and very addicting but it has one major flaw and that is that there is no save function. So if you leave the game screen it completely restarts and you lose all of your progress.

If you do end up liking this game there is another version called Lux Delux that has extra maps and features, but really the free version was enough for me. Maybe in the future I will look into the other version, but for now it’s time to take over the world.

Stephanie S.

Download Now!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Developer -SillySoft Games

URL: www.sillysoft.net

DEVELOPER NOTES

Lux is a game of strategy, risk, and world conquest!

Control the Blue armies and conquer the map.
Fight a virtual war to dominate the world.

TIPS:
- attack with 3 or more armies for best odds
- take over 1 enemy country per turn for a card
- fully eliminate an enemy and you get their cards

Lux Touch is fully FREE!

Try our other game Lux DLX for…
- more AIs
- more maps
- more settings
- more hot graphics
- more human players
- more of your dreams come true

Lux Touch is a mobile version of Lux Delux,
available now for your desktop and laptop.

“Because taking over the world is fun!”

Download Now!

© 2010, StephanieS. All rights reserved.

My Town Contacts (.99)

Version 1.0

REVIEW – “Whether you are a new mom, an avid traveler, the most unorganized person in the world or the most organized person in the world, this app is for you.”

Having a large list of contacts, however great, can be like a double-edged sword. For all of those times when you scroll through pages of numbers looking for someone, anyone, who can cover your shift or feed your dog, it’s great. When you are trying to find someone in a hurry, it’s awful! My Town Contacts is a relatively new iPhone app that features a one touch dialing system for all of your most treasured numbers – conveniently located in one place and ready to use – no searching necessary.

My Town Contacts features 19 categories including Doctors, Pharmacy, Town Hall, Schools, Vet and other. If you have an important number that doesn’t fit into one of these categories, I would be really surprised. My Town Contacts allows you to conveniently organize and store any important phone numbers and information so you are no longer searching through pieces of paper, emails or a gigantic contact list. MTC categorizes and stores each number and conveniently adds a phone button so calling is just a simple touch.

When you enter in your contact, you are given the following options for entering in information: Name, Numbers, Addresses, Email Addresses, Web Site and Notes – perfect for storing just about any information that you need. After you have entered in all of your contacts, exit the app and upon its reload, your new one-touch dialing option will be set up. In addition to calling, you will also have the option to email or visit the website, if you put this information into a contact.

I think what I loved best about this app was I no longer had to search through 47 names that started with A just to find what I was looking for. If you feel bad about having that delicious Mexican restaurant down the street in your contacts, don’t worry about it. My Town Contacts has a section for restaurants too. Breakfast burrito anyone?

Whether you are a new mom, an avid traveler, the most unorganized person in the world or the most organized person in the world, this app is for you. Car accident, medical emergency, refill a prescription? It’s all in this app – easy to use, easy to find. Download this app now. You won’t regret it until you realize you didn’t download it and you need to use it. J

angelina r

Download Now

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Developer – tapunited

URL: http://www.getsatisfaction.com/tapunited

DEVELOPERS NOTES

“This is an important app. I can’t imagine anyone being without it. Calls made within 3 seconds—essential in an emergency!” – Kenneth Sheptoff

Wake up in the middle of the night to a fire or the sound of a burglar? Don’t panic. Simply reach for your iPhone and ONE-TAP DIAL the fire or police department. No need to look up their numbers, because you already input them into My Town!

On a trip and worried because you can’t reach an elderly relative or parent, and you can’t remember their neighbor’s name? Don’t worry. You’ve already done the research and put it into My Town! Simply reach for your iPhone and ONE-TAP DIAL their neighbor or caretaker.

Don’t want to wait through annoying 911 or 411 automated calls to find emergency services numbers? You no longer have to wait. You’ve already been prompted to enter them in My Town!

At the airport and are afraid you might have left the stove on? ONE-TAP DIALING allows you to quickly reach a relative or the fire department.

On the way home and want to order take out from your favorite Chinese restaurant? You have that number too, at your fingertips.

My Town gathers in one place all the numbers and information you need to feel safe, secure, and totally together.

My Town is the fast, easy to use app where you keep in one central place all the most important telephone numbers in your life—the ones that could save your life and the ones you love.

As an added benefit, My Town makes your life easier by prompting you to add in information on your town: for the library, town hall, local pharmacy, and your favorite restaurants and stores. You even have an “Other” category to customize for your most personal priority numbers.

Whether in an emergency, or simply for convenience, My Town’s ONE-TAP DIALING will give you peace of mind and a deep sense of security.

Remember to put it next to the Address Book icon on your home page so it is easy and quick to find when you need it!

Features:

★ one-tap calling
★ speed – you don’t have to waste precious time
★ safety – a central location for all emergency contact information
★ easy input
★ five stylish themes for you to choose from
★ peace of mind – a place you know you will find numbers you wouldn’t normally have in your address book

Join us on Facebook and Twitter for updates, news, and commentary.

Download Now

© 2010, Angelina. All rights reserved.

Byline ($3.99)

Version – 2.5.3

REVIEW – “The news will never pass you by with Byline!”

We live in a world that is being bombarded with news and information 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  With all of the information swirling around us every day how is one possibly supposed to keep up on all of the latest political, social, and technological news?  If you find yourself not having the time you would like to keep up on what’s going on in the world around you then Byline may be just the iPhone app that you have been looking for!

Whether you are a business exec, a carpenter or a stay at home mom we all have things that we like to keep up on but surfing the internet for the latest news can be tedious.  While there are lots of RSS readers out there that can help you manage your news content and view it whenever you want, Byline offers more with its ability to sync and cache all of your feeds for offline use.

Setting up Byline is simple.  All you have to do is add all of your favorite RSS feeds to your Google Feeds account and log in to it from Byline.  Once you log in all of the latest news from your Google Feeds will be synced and cached.  This means that you will be able to view them all even when the internet is not available!  If you open up your “Settings” you will find several options under “Byline” that will allow you to customize exactly what things Byline will cache and under what conditions it will do it automatically.

Once you have everything set up you can start viewing all of your feeds right away.  If all of your feeds have not finished caching yet they will continue to do so in the background.  While the caching feature is certainly nice if you have an iPod, or if you just don’t have good internet service where you are at, the best thing about it is even when you have internet it cuts down load time significantly.  What this means is that you will spend less time waiting for things to load and more time reading the news!

The main screen of Byline will show all of your Google folders just below a tab to view all of your “New Items” and “Starred Items.”  Touching any of your folders will bring up all of the posts inside.  For each post you see the title, a brief description and the date that it was posted on the far right.  Touching a post will bring up just the information that is in the RSS feed itself.  For some websites this is the majority of the text in the post, while for others it is just a short summary.

While you are viewing an individual post you have several options in a menu at the bottom of the screen.  Touching the arrow pointing to the right will take you to the web page that your post is referencing.  You can actually cache these web pages as well as the feeds themselves by either starring an item or enabling web page caching in the “Settings” app.  Some of the other options available in the menu at the bottom of the screen are a “favorite” button, a button to share a link to the article and a button to add a “note” about your current post.

While $3.99 may seem a little steep for an app like this, the time that it has saved me has been well worth it.  Whether you have a job that requires you to stay up to date, you’re very politically minded or you just like to keep up on the quickly moving world of technology Byline can make your life much simpler.  Best of all the developer already has a history of regular app updates and version 3.0 is supposedly right on the horizon.  There has never been a better time to grab an app before the sale ends.  So what are you waiting for?  Check it out in the App Store today!

- David H.

Download Now!

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Developer – Phantom Fish

URL: http://www.phantomfish.com/byline.html

DEVELOPERS NOTES

© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

Dragon Search (Free)

Version – 1.1.0

REVIEW – “A new way to search the web!”

There have been several apps released into the App Store to help you find things on the internet.  Most of them have been sponsored/designed by specific websites in order to make their services easier to use.  Dragon Search has taken a whole new angle and merged several different website searches into an extremely easy to use interface!

While the interface of this app is definitely very good what really makes this app it’s the excellent “Dragon Dictation” engine that is used to allow you to actually speak your search queries!  When you open up the app you are greeted by a small record button in the center of the screen.  Once you touch the button all you have to do is speak whatever words it is that you want to search for and press the “Done” button.

Once you enter your search query you will be taken to the search results screen.  You will notice at the top of this screen there is a bar with the icons of several sites such as Youtube, Wikipedia, Twitter and iTunes.  The main screen that you will go to by default when you search is your default “Search Provider.”  The default provider is Google, but you can change it to Yahoo or Bing in your iPhone or iPod Touch’s “Settings” app.

After you have used Dragon Search you will not ever want to go back to your old methods of searching on your mobile device.  The Twitter search function adds a particularly nice touch.  With it you are able to quickly and easily check the internet for news trends.  And all of this from within the same app that you can check out youtube, itunes and the rest of the web with ease!

This app is overall one of the most useful apps that I have ever reviewed, and at the same time it is also one of the easiest to use.  If you are anything like me you will wonder just what you did before you had this app to help you scour the internet.  Best of all this app is free!  So what are you waiting for?  Check out Dragon Search in the App Store today!

- David H.

Download Now!

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Developer – Nuance Communications

URL: http://www.dragonmobileapps.com/

DEVELOPERS NOTES

Download Now!

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© 2010, Davidh. All rights reserved.

Voices (.99)

Version 1.0
REVIEW – “Prepare yourself for hours of entertainment – really!”

It is my wholehearted belief that prank calls never get old – but only if you are the one making them. Several years ago my boyfriend Brad and I discovered a website that had different celebrity voices with tons of sayings. Although we weren’t brave enough to prank call strangers, we had a really great time pranking friends and family members – especially his dad. Voices is an app that is similar to that website… or just somewhere to record different sayings in funny voices, whichever you prefer.

I was first shown Voices about a week ago from some friends. They showed me how it worked and then continued with playing all of the different sayings (some, or rather most are not G rated, so I won’t repeat). At first, I was surprised – when and why did you do this? I wondered. But as they kept playing, I started laughing more and more. This app is hilarious and I have to have it!

The app is simple to use and unlike some of the apps out there, works really well! There are eighteen different voices that you can choose from (including your own) ranging from helium, chipmunk, cyborg, etc. All of the good ones are there, although I am sure if you thought of one that wasn’t and emailed the developers, they would be happy to look into it – but that’s just a hunch.

So here’s how it works: you choose the voice that you wish to record in and start recording – simple, right? Very. Beyond recording and saving these different sayings, you can also choose to share it via twitter, facebook or in an email (because really, what can’t you add to twitter or facebook these days). Nonetheless, these are the options and great ones, at that.

For ninety-nine cents, I can’t begin to tell you how much fun you will have with this app. Late-night slumber parties; lonely, boring nights; mischievous afternoons or really, just any time. This app should be downloaded right now. It is tons of fun whether you want to prank call people, leave creative messages with friends or just entertain yourself with the different (and hilarious) voices. If you don’t believe, ask my friends Whitney and Nicole – if you don’t laugh at what they recorded, you probably don’t ever laugh.

angelina r

Download Now

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Developer – tap tap tap
URL: http://www.taptaptap.com/#voices

DEVELOPERS NOTES
Features
• have fun changing your voice 17 different ways
• slick, stylish user interface
• save your favorite recordings
• share your recordings with friends via email, Facebook, and Twitter
• a guarantee to put a smile on your face!
Once you try Voices, you’ll be surprised at how boring your regular old voice really is!
Most importantly… have fun!
⚠ iPod touch users please note ⚠
Voices can work on an iPod touch but only if you have an external microphone (which isn’t supplied by Apple when you bought your iPod touch). If you have a first generation iPod touch, be aware that microphones aren’t supported, and as such Voices will not function, so please do not purchase.
⚠ iPhone users please note ⚠
If you can’t hear your recordings, make sure your phone isn’t on vibrate.

Download Now

© 2010, Angelina. All rights reserved.

USPS Mobile (Free)

Version 1.0.1
REVIEW – “This all-in-one, easy to use app has already helped me on more than one occasion and I have only had it for three days.”

For those of you who are fans of FedEX and UPS because you can easily track packages and know exactly where they are at all times, you will love the new USPS Mobile app. Not only can you track your packages, you can locate post offices nearby (or anywhere really) and look up addresses to make sure that they are correct before you drop them off. Sadly I must admit that I never really had a lot of faith in the Postal Service but with this new app, my faith has been restored.

The USPS Mobile app is easy to use, has a clean interface and is a much better alternative than using the internet. There are four options at the bottom of the app: locations, zip codes, track and more. Each of these four options then provides more options to narrow down your search and make it as easy as possible to find what you are looking for. The “locations” option allows you to look for actual office locations, automated centers or collection boxes. The built-in GPS feature uses your location to bring up a map flagging all of the locations in your area. You can also zoom in on the map to get the exact location.

The “look up a zip code” option is a search by address, city or the cities in a particular zip code. If you are like me, I can remember addresses no problem, but for some reason, if I forget any part of the address, it’s the zip code. For the life of me, zip codes just don’t stick. So here you are, addressing an envelope to your best friend and you blank on the zip code. Your first thought is, why did she have to move so far away and your second thought is now I have to look up the zip code. Luckily, with this app, you can search by typing in the portion of her address that you do remember or you can search by city. Simple, right?

The last option, and in my opinion, the most useful, is the “track & confirm”. Everyone gets a little paranoid when mailing packages – you usually want to make sure that it arrives, in tact and in a timely matter. The “track & confirm” option allows you to track your package with all of the details and history: example, left the Fresno sort facility at 9:39 pm on 12/28… it’s great. It gives you a timeline as to when your package should arrive and everywhere that it went in between.

The US Postal Service really stepped up its game with this app. I would now put them on the same shelf as FedEX and UPS. Now, with this app and their improved website, what do they do that the others don’t? If you ship or track a lot of things, this app is definitely one that you want to download. It’s free, easy to use and gives you peace of mind when mailing things out. No more sitting at home waiting thinking, today might be the day that my new shoes come… with USPS Mobile, you have all of the information that you need stored neatly in your iPhone. It’s the perfect solution.

angelina r

Download Now

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Developer – United States Postal Service
URL: http://www.usps.com/
DEVELOPERS NOTES
USPS Mobile gives you instant, on-the-go access to the most popular tools on USPS.com. Track a package, find Post Offices™ and collection boxes, and look up ZIP Codes™ any where you go.

WHAT CAN IT DO?
Use Track & Confirm to track your Express Mail® shipments and check the status of packages sent with other services. Your label number will automatically be saved, so you can easily keep tabs on your packages or mail until they’re delivered.

Find USPS Locations when you need to get to a Post Office, Automated Postal Center, or collection box. You’ll see your closest options and even see your results on a map to get driving, walking, or transit directions. Or search for locations anywhere in the country.

Look up a ZIP Code for your current location. Or get the ZIP Code for any U.S. address.

Download Now

© 2010, Angelina. All rights reserved.

N.O.V.A. – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance ($6.99)

Version – 1.1.0

REVIEW – “One of the best FPS experiences for any mobile platform!”

I have seen a lot of games that have attempted to take on the iPhone FPS genre, but very few that have succeeded in being more than just eye candy with a half-baked interface thrown over them.  Thankfully what you get with Gameloft’s N.O.V.A. – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance is a game with an in depth storyline, great user interface, plenty of weapons and even an online multiplayer experience!

One thing that is difficult to ignore with this game is just how much it feels like the “Halo” genre of games.  Gameloft’s team has managed to make this game feel a lot like those games by using a similar style of artwork, while at the same timemaking the in-game experience something totally different.  One thing is for sure though, from the opening movie all the way down to the little details within the levels, a lot of work went into making this game look and feel right!

Once you get through the opening screens you will be taken to the main menu.  The menu is laid out very well.  All of the options are easy to read and  as a whole the menu is very sharp looking.  Perhaps one of the best features of this app is the control scheme settings.  While most games offer some type of customization, N.O.V.A offers a wide variety of options from sensitivity control, to a “left handed mode” and  3 different control schemes.  It seems that while a lot of games have come up with control schemes that work, this game allows you to use pretty much any of those control schemes that you may choose!

There are a variety of other options that you can customize.  Some of the most prominent ones are an “Auto leveling” feature, “Aim assist,” a “Compass” feature that will help guide you through the levels if you are impatient.  Another great feature is the ability to select and customize playlists of the music on your iPhone/iPod to listen to while you play.  This is of course balanced with the ability to set different levels for sound effects and music.

Once you have everything set just right you can either get started on the single player campaign or head straight to multiplayer!  The single player campaign offers 13 levels with varying terrain and enemies.  I was very impressed with how much fun it really is.  There are three different difficulty levels that allow anyone to enjoy this game without getting too frustrated.

The online multiplayer is a lot of fun!  The one thing that I wonder is how the “host” system works in it.  The reason I am asking is that I seem to lose my connection to the host more than half the time when playing online.  It also didn’t seem to make a difference whether I was using a WiFi connection or a 3G connection.  That being said, online play really is a lot of fun.  The maps are packed with all kinds of great weapons and powerups which add a lot to the gameplay.

With all of that said, this game has really set the bar high for FPS games!  If you have been waiting for just the right game to come along in this genre the wait is over!  Download N.O.V.A. today for just $6.99 if you’d like to play one of the premier games in the App Store.  This game will not disappoint you!

- David H.

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Developer – Gameloft

URL: http://www.near-orbit-vanguard-alliance.com/

DEVELOPERS NOTES

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© 2009, Davidh. All rights reserved.

RDM+ Remote Desktop for Mac OS and Windows ($19.99)

Version – 2.7.31

REVIEW – “Have complete control of your computer from anywhere!”

It is amazing to me how many things that can be done from an iPhone.  However, just because something has been done does not necessarily mean  that it has been done well.  If you have struggledwith the sometimes difficult setup and security features of other VNC/Remote Desktop clients, then “RDM+ Remote Desktop for Mac OS and Windows” may be the solution that you’ve been looking for!

When you open up this app for the first time you will see a computer already installed for you to test the functionality of RDM+.  You won’t be able to modify anything, but you can quickly make a remote connection and view some information on how to use different features of the app.  Once you are ready to setup your computers for use the first thing you will need to do is head to their website http://rdmplus .com and download the free “RDM Desktop” software.  One of the great things about this software is that there is both a Windows and a Macversion of the software as well as a wide variety of other mobile devices including the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Once you have downloaded and installed the “RDM Desktop” and set up your computer with a username and password, your computer will be assigned a number.  Now no matter where your computer is connected, as long as it is on the internet you will be able to access it by using that computer number.  Setting up a new computer is as simple as pressing the “+” button in the upper right corner of the “Computer List” screen and then entering in some basic information such as the computer’s “number” that you just found out and the account and password for that computer.

This username and password system allows you to set up multiple users with different levels of permissions.  For example, if you want someone else to be able to view files and/or run certain programs, but you don’t want them changing anything you can give them permission to do what they need to without giving them permission to actually make changes to files and settings.

Besides the “Computer List” there are two other “main screens” that can be accessed from the menu at the bottom.  The “About” screen gives you some basic information and tips on using RDM+, and the “Settings” screen has mouse control options and an “Image Quality” selector.  I personally would recommend that you always set it to the “Quick” setting because I have never had any problems seeing what I needed to be able see and it is much more responsive if you are using a slow network.

Where this app really shines is in the actually control interface.  Instead of just touching the screen where you want to “click” you actually drag around a visible “mouse” icon until it is where you want and then either left click by just tapping the screen anywhere, or pressing and holding anywhere to bring up a menu of more advanced options such as right click, drag and drop, etc…

This app also includes several ways to access various keyboard options.  You can use Apple’s standard keyboard with a few extra keys on a sliding bar above it for typing in information or two other screens that are full of different shortcuts/special keys that you might need to use.  I was very impressed with this feature in particular.

While it is very nice to be able to quickly access your work computer from a mobile phone, there are also times when you may have a computer with internet available and you would like to access your home computer with the ability to type with a full keyboard. If this is you, RDM+ also offers “Web Access” which will literally allow you to access your computer through any web browser anywhere in the world!  This feature may seem costly at $29.99 for a lifetime license or $4.95 a month, but if you are constantly on the move this feature could be priceless.

To sum it all up, there are probably other ways that you could get similar features to RDM+ without spending as much money.  But while that may be true, I do not think you will find anything else that is this easy to setup and that works this flawlessly.  I had absolutely no problems whatsoever figuring out how to do all kinds of things that I could not have imagined doing from my mobile, or even just remotely from another computer.  If your line of work has you constantly moving, and especially if you don’t have access to set up a direct VNC connection at your work, I would highly recommend RDM+ for iPhone or iPod Touch!

- David H.

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Developer – SHAPE Services

URL: http://www.rdmplus.com/

DEVELOPERS NOTES

Download Now!

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© 2009, Davidh. All rights reserved.