Kick Butt Applications

iPhone 5 update

2011-09-25T13:31:00.000-07:00

There was lots of talk about the iPhone 5 being ready for early September but based on the small number of leaks (that's really how it's measured) it looks more and more like late 2011.

I guess instead of the "back to school" time they are pushing the old Christmas gift for the mighty iPhone 5. Interestingly enough, regardless of what it has, or doesn't have, there are plenty reports that it'll outsell all other smartphones! I sometimes wonder if Apple could package up a pile of dog crap an sell it!

A whopping 1%

2011-07-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

One percent doesn't sound like much does it? In reality, it can be a huge number. I'd take 1% of Bill Gate's worth anyday - that would leave me with $560 Million. Another big number is 1% of the world's web browsing usage, which is what Apple's iPad is reported to have achieved. Considering that 5% of all web browsing is now done on mobile devices, the iPad is used for a massive chunk of that browsing.

In the US those numbers are even larger, with the iPad being used for just over 2% of all web browsing, and mobile devices accounting for just over 8%. Pretty impressive numbers especially considering the iPad celebrated it's first anniversary just two months ago.

Independence Day

2011-07-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day!

Enjoy the fireworks and festivities celebrating the Declaration of Independence, adopted July 4, 1776.

There is even an iPhone app called Independence Day. There are plenty of apps available on the iTunes store that are discounted for the Independence Day long weekend - check them out!

Office Jerk gets Jerkier!

2011-07-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

Most of you iPhone users (at least those that visit the iTunes store) have probably seen the free app Office Jerk! This fun app has gone through some developmental changes and improvements that gives new and seasoned players some great fun. The premise behind the game is to throw different items at the Office Jerk. We all know who that person is at our own workplace, and this game allows you to vent out some frustrations you would love to do for real - but can't!

Office Jerk has been downloaded 7.5 Million times from iTunes!

Originally the game started as a huge hit, reaching #1 free app, by offering items such as a pencil and an eraser to throw. The Jerk made some sound effects. As the game developed the Jerk began reacting more to having items chucked at him. Now in the latest version, the Jerk is more interactive than ever. There is also a "shelf" of items available to throw, each resulting in a different reaction from the Jerk, and each breaking unique items in the game. I won't give away all the secrets but I will tell you that golf ball and the cupcakes are now my favorite, taking over from the dynamite and pie.

Office Jerk was recently released on a few of the Android markets!

Those those that are interested there is also a checklist available on the Office Jerk Facebook page. Now you can see all the actions you are missing!

Happy Canada Day!!!

2011-07-01T11:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Canada Day to all those 34 Million Canadians out there!

Top ten ways to celebrate:

10. Make pancakes with pure maple syrup.
9. Eat bacon.
8. Wear red and white colours (Canadians add the U in color).
7. Be even nicer than normal.
6. Visit Niagara Falls (popular).
5. Visit Canada's desert (in Osoyoos, British Columbia).
4. Drink real beer (not any of that 4.5% alcohol stuff).
3. Play hockey, and do it well!
2. Enjoy having different holidays, spelling and even 1/2 hour time zones.
1. Finish every sentence with "Eh" (nobody knows why?)

But most of all, enjoy Canada's 144th Birthday.

Royal Tour

2011-07-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

I've posted a few times already about Will and Kate's wedding and any apps and websites dedicated to the Royal Wedding and the Royal Couple. Remember the famous kiss... actually it was two!

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have started their Official 2011 Royal Tour and there is an app dedicated to just that. Royal Tour is free on the iTunes store. As well as showing tour dates and and a full itinerary, the app is a source of photo and video updates of their tour. There is a link to read what is being said on Twitter and there is also a Facebook connection titled Crown in Canada.

Will and Kate will be touring Canada from June 30 - July 8, 2011! Seeing them live would be great, but this Kick Butt little iPhone app is great for those who are excited about the Royal Couple and what they are doing!

iCloud

2011-05-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

While Apple might not have iCloud up and running by the time they host the WWDC in early June, it's looking more and more like they will at least have the pieces in place (agreements with music labels) to make an announcement introducing iCloud.

There is rumor that Apple has recently reached an agreement with Sony, leaving just Universal as the major player left.

iPlayboy

2011-05-19T10:08:00.001-07:00

Yes your read the title correctly!!! Imagine having every Playboy edition, in full, available on your iPad, or better yet your iPad2. Thats a lot of reading. Thats also a lot of viewing!!!

Quickly bring up every article, cartoon, story and of course... some incredible photography in vivid color with Apple's zoom-in technology. Hugh Hefner started Playboy in 1953, after receiving a $1000 loan from his mother.

iPlayboy is not an actual App available at iTunes, but rather a web app, whereas you access with Wi-Fi. Users can obtain a membership by paying for a monthly or yearly subscription.

This App definitely gets three thumbs up!

Happy 10th Anniversary Apple Stores

2011-05-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

Today is the 10th Anniversary of the first opening of the Apple stores. On May 19th, 2001 Apple opened two Stores. After 10 years Apple has over 300 stores worldwide. Ten years may seem like a long time, but to put it into perspective, the first Apple store opened less than four months before 9/11. Apple opened over 300 stores in less time than it took the whole world to find Osama Bin Laden.

Apple is said to be planning some big events and opportunities for customers over the next few days - details of which are being closely held.

The two photos above of from Apple's Fifth Avenue store, New York

Purple iPhone

2011-05-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

And you thought the WHITE iPhone was cool, how about a mesmerizing deep purple iPhone 4?

This is not being offered by Apple, but rather an add-on, or replacement, case for your iPhone. Focus Supply has an assortment of other iPhone related items where you can choose to have your iPhone in blue, silver, gold and more.

Being able to personalize your iPhone they way you like totally Kicks Butt!!!

text-speech & speech-text

2011-05-18T23:26:00.000-07:00

According to PatentlyApple, Apple has filed a new patent for bringing text-to-speech and speech-to-text to the iPhone. This would be in a version of iOS5. Not word yet on whether this would be available on the next generation iPhone, possibly being released as the iPhone 4S.

This feature could be quite useful in a noisy environment, or a very quiet one when it would be advantageous to just read a message instead of hearing a voice message!

iPhone 4S ???

2011-05-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

What do we know about the next iPhone, you know... the one that may or may not hit the stores in September! Well even without any specifics we know it will sell well, because it's a... you know... iPhone!

The latest rumor I read about has the next iPhone being called the iPhone 4S, not the iPhone 5 that everyone has been speculating about. Rumors also suggest it will look like the iPhone 4 in shape, but will carry the new Dual-Core A5 chip that is found in the iPad 2. As well as better cameras and HSPA+ support, the iPhone 4S would only have some minor cosmetic changes from the iPhone 4.

Keeping in mind that this is still just rumor, we don't really know when it will be launched, what it will look like, what features it will have, what colors it will be available in (holding white for 1/2 year sales event) or even what it will be called. We just know that sales of it will Kick Butt!!!

Friday 13th

2011-05-13T21:24:00.001-07:00

I was surprised to find that there is in fact an iPhone and iPod touch app made for Friday 13th. It's basically a future calendar of upcoming Friday 13th's.

Never again will you be caught off guard with not knowing about an upcoming date to be careful of.

SexTrack App

2011-05-13T10:37:00.001-07:00

OK, it was bound to happen eventually. There are apps that count the calories you eat, measure the distance you run and even track how well you sleep at night. But now, there is an app that lets you know how well you're performing... in bed!

SexTrack even gives you a score based on parameters such as speed, amount, duration and intensity. The app uses the iPhone's built-in accelerometer to measure these items and based on the "players" movements, presents a score - and even presents a track records of their top scores!

For those who feel they must post everything about their daily lives on Facebook or Twitter, the app also has a social networking feature whereas this information may be posted in a classy form online, or emailed.

Does it work? Who knows and who cares! Have fun testing it!!!

Top App

2011-05-13T10:25:00.001-07:00

About two weeks ago I blogged about a new iPhone application called Office Jerk. What initially got my attention was who the game was made by. Office Jerk was developed in partnership by Fluik Entertainment and Big Fat Simulations. These two companies have been successful making products separately, and more recently as a team, achieved even greater success with their Airport Madness series of games developed for the iPhone and iPad.

Knowing the history behind these skilled game makers I was expecting Office Jerk to be a well made game, and although I blogged in favor of the game, I had little idea how popular it would become.

Office Jerk has been downloaded over 5 million times, and held the top free app at the iTunes store as many others just disappeared. I'm looking forward to how Office Jerk may be developed further in the future and what future apps may be developed by this collaborative team!

Well done. Office Jerk has Kicked major Butt on the iTunes store!!!

Brand Value

2011-05-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

It's amazing the value of a Brand Name. Often the brand insignia of an item is as valuable as the item itself. For example, if you made two identical shirts and placed a Nike swoosh on one, and a picture of me on the other, I'm sure the Nike item would sell for WAY more than double the item with the handsome picture on it.

Looking at the value of the top companies it's no surprise to see technology companies occupying the top few spots. What is surprising is how much a large company can increase it's worth in such a short time.

As you can see from the chart above, Apple has overtaken Google as the most valuable brand with a growth in value of 84% since last year. That makes Apple the world's most valuable company at over $153 Billion. Check out all those zeros $153,000,000,000. Google slides down to the number two spot at $111 Billion and IBM is number 3 at $101 Billion. Microsoft is number 5 at $78 Billion.

Interesting to note is how these numbers compare the the world's wealthiest people. Bill Gates is the world's second richest person at $58 Billion and Warren Buffet is number three at an even $50 Billion. The wealthiest person in the world is from Mexico, Carlos Slim at $74 Billion.

I'm sure if Apple decided to make a line of clothing and placed their little Apple brand insignia on each item it would be the hottest selling clothing line instantly. They could even design all the pockets to perfectly hold Apple items such as the iPhone and iPad.

Battery Life

2011-05-09T12:54:00.001-07:00

I don't know why, but we refer to our batteries as if they are living things. For example, when the chemicals in a battery that produce electrochemical reactions slow the process of creating negatively and positively charged electrons, instead of saying the power is low, we say "my battery is dying!" Doesn't this seem a bit dramatic. Once it runs "out of juice" completely we refer to it as "dead!" Again, this description seems a bit extreme to me. Usually when something is dead, it's dead forever and rarely does something that is dead end up working just fine after plugging it in for two hours.

Hang on a sec, I gotta plug in my laptop before the battery dies!

Ok, I'm back. Now battery power has been a major issue for all smartphones since they were first created. The massive power and feature creep capabilities of the iPhone, Blackberry and Android devices draws a lot of the energy packed into the limited space of the battery itself. While hardware developers work feverously to pack more electrical punch into a battery, software coders are working to make the apps more efficient and use less battery power so you don't end up with the "dead" battery situation.

Apple recently released iOS 4.3.3 which they claim will increase battery life. This comes after iOS 4.3, which was followed by plenty of reports that there was little to no change, and even some claims that the battery loses the battle of life even faster!

iPhone Fridge Magnets

2011-05-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

I got this set of fridge magnets as a gift and think they are hilarious.

What better way to keep notes on the fridge than using the app icons from an iPhone!

eBay Mobile

2011-05-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning up my apps loaded on my iphone yesterday, which mostly involved just moving apps around and into folders that resembled some sort of order. One App that I didn't realize I even had was eBay Mobile. I placed it in a category with some others that I rarely look at.

I was so glad I rediscovered it as I look at eBay online quite frequently. eBay Mobile runs natively on the iPhone, iPad touch and iPad, allowing the user to buy and sell as they would on their computer.

So if you haven't downloaded the free app already, do so today. If you have it buried somewhere in the last few pages of apps on your Apple device, go find it and check it out. It might be worth moving up the one of the front pages!

eBay Mobile definitely Kicks Butt!

Osama Bin Laden DEAD!

2011-05-02T11:52:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure you've all heard, Bin Laden is dead. Being shot it the head will do that to a person, and I can hardly think of a person or animal more deserving!!!

It got me wondering if there were any iPhone Apps out there about Bin Laden, pre or post death! None to be found. I'm sure somebody is working on something whereas maybe we could take shots at him ourselves, drop a nuke on his head or even throw bricks at him. Maybe this game could even change their image to Osama Bin Laden, so players could vent their anger on him.

I did however, find a number of iPhone and iPad apps all about terrorism. Everything from what to avoid, checking for car bombs, the President's schedule, surviving nuclear fallout and training to be a counter-terrorism expert!

Here is a short list of a few of those:
UK Terror Alert
Stratfor
Anti Terrorism Training Center
Disaster Readiness
9/11 Numbers
Surviving Terrorism
iWatch USA
Nuclear Survival
Terror Organizations
Disaster Preparedness
Defeating Islamic Terrorism

Part of me wants to have a bunch of new apps available to seek revenge, but another part of me thinks the less attention paid to Bin Laden, the better. He's dead, which he should be. He's gone. This can only be a positive thing for the rest of the world!

Amen!

Canada Election Day Eh!

2011-05-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

Today, May 2nd 2011, Canadians will elect their 41st Prime Minister. In actuality, they will be electing members to the House of Commons that make up the Canadian Parliament, and hence the Prime Ministership.

I was doing some searching for iPhone apps that might be useful for anyone wanting background info or the latest news and election results. I was quite surprised at how little was available. There are some strict rules about publishing election results but I at least expected more information about polls and from the political parties themselves.

Here are the apps I found from the political parties and their leaders:
Green Party - Elizabeth May
NDP - Jack Layton

Here are few other apps from the Canadian Media covering the election:
Canada Elections
My Politics
Maclean's
Globe Politics

In a world of Twitter, Skype, Texting, Facebook, Email, Apps and a plethora of other at-your-fingertips technology, I really was expecting more. The Canada Elections App and the Globe Politics App both seem pretty good, but not great!

If you are having a really sleepless night and have $10 burning a hole in your pajama pocket, buy Prime Ministers of Canada, and you will have more info than you could possibly ever want!

Chuck a mug at your co-worker Day

2011-05-01T18:50:00.001-07:00

So it's Monday and you're stuck at work, annoyed that you have to somehow make it not only through the whole day with the jerks in the office, but the whole friggin week!

Go ahead and throw a mug at one of them! Or an eraser, a pencil, a stick of dynamite or even an egg! Office Jerk lets you do this, without getting fired!

All these items are fun to throw, but the mug is extra fun. I still like the dynamite but the mug will actually break things and knock over the jerk's family photo too. Give it a try and see what stuff you can break. Think outside the box a bit and you might be surprised what breaks.

So far my top score is 14!

Office Jerk hits # 1 Free App

2011-05-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

Well it took less than 48 since it's release, but Office Jerk quickly climbed the iTunes store of top sellers and hit the #1 top Free iPhone App.

I still think the dynamite is the best!!!

Office Jerk is still free at the iTunes store!

White is thicker than Black

2011-05-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

I've been joking all week about how the new White iPhone 4 is just that... an iPhone 4 in white... everything else just the same. Well... looks like there is a small difference between the two. Apparently the White iPhone 4, is .2mm thicker than the Black iPhone 4. (Go ahead and insert a joke here)

.2mm (millimeters) is less than 0.008 of an inch!

I heard a few rumors giving explanation as to why the White iPhone 4 is thicker and here they are in no particular order:

5. Fixes the antennae problem they've had
4. Blocks light entering the phone around the white plastic
3. White plastic is thicker
4. The controversy will increase sales
5. The white wants to be thicker!!!

Whatever the reason, sales of the White iPhone 4 are strong. Now let's get back to getting out the iPhone 5!

Office Jerk - Top 25 free Apps

2011-04-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did a short blog about a new app available on the iTunes store called Office Jerk. I found it to be a funny iPhone App right from my first play (or throw to be exact)! With all the excitement of Will & Kate's Royal Wedding, I didn't have time to check back and see how the Office Jerk Application was doing. It is FREE by the way.

I was amazed to find it in the top 25 of Free Apps on iTunes!!! I knew the game had potential but this is quite an achievement in such a short time. I'll do some digging and try and find out how sales are going for premium items - I don't want to give much away there but apparently the dynamite is popular - see screenshot below.

I laugh every time the geek gets hit!

Office Jerk is made by Big Fat Simulations and Fluik Entertainment Inc.

UPDATE: I just checked and the game has moved up to # 14 of Free Apps

FRING with friends

2011-04-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

Well it looks like FRING got there first. You can now do Group Video calls on your iPhone or Android, with up to four friends being displayed on one video screen. You can bet there are some other large companies that would love to have had this... or might make a try for "acquiring" the company.

One of the big words on this fantastic app is FREE! First off, the app itself is free. The four way video conference calling is free. With Fring you can make calls to other Frings users worldwide, for free. Also, live chat is... free!

Fring is a freemium product - meaning the app is free but there are some paid add-on features available. The rates for using Fring to make worldwide calls is very competitive! (but again, free to other Fring users)

Use this app on your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android or Nokia device!

Fring Kicks some serious Butt!

Apple beats Microsoft!!!

2011-04-29T19:18:00.000-07:00

Yes you read correctly. No apples falling from the proverbial tree in this business story. Apple has surpassed Microsoft in sales revenues and profits!

Microsoft and Apple reported revenues of $16.5B and $24.5B, and profits of $5.23B and $5.99B, respectively. Although Apple's numbers are larger than Microsoft's, the latter did have a higher profit margin. Apple's 50% more revenue over Microsoft, generated only 14.5% extra profit!

An economist might also suggest looking at the trend of revenues and profits, from the chart above, and further suggest that some basic extrapolation indicates Apple is more skybound than Microsoft and thus a better financial investment.

Another interesting item to note, if you care about investment returns, is the fact that Microsoft's stock has a lower PEI (price earnings ratio) compared to Apple's stock - 11.06% versus 16.68%. Just keep in mind this is history we are looking at. You must always look at what a company is doing NOW, and what they have for TOMORROW!

Personally, I think both companies Kick Butt!!!

Royal Wedding Numbers

2011-04-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

Participants: 2 (William and Kate)
Guests: 1900
Viewers: 2,000,000,000 (yes 2 billion)
Cakes: 2
Dress: 1 (just under $500,000USD)
Wedding cost: $70 million
Floral cost: $80,000
Kisses: 2

These numbers got me thinking. For the same price, Kate's dress could have been made from 1,000 iPhone 4's - in white of course!

Office Jerk

2011-04-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

This App if FUNNY! I think this could be the next best office app ever. Haven't you ever wanted to throw something at a coworker??? I have - plenty of times. Well here's your chance with Office Jerk!

Throw a crumpled up piece of paper, an eraser or a pencil at the geek working on the computer and earn points.

The game is FREE. If you feel the need to throw some heavier objects you can purchase some inexpensive value packs where you will find staplers, mugs and even a pie. There are a few other funny objects but I'll leave those to the players to discover!

I don't want to give away any secrets but you can also throw the items at things other than the geek, such as the computer. I like a game with a few hidden cookies!

This is a fun little app that definitely scores highly on the Kick Butt rating!!!

Royal Kiss - times 2

2011-04-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

So I wonder what will become of all those iPhone apps that were made specifically for Will and Kate's wedding? Most likely the iTunes store won't be selling nearly as many of them as they were the last few weeks. Will there be any new ones now that the wedding is done, and was such a successful event?

Either way, congratulations to William and Kate.

A photo of one of the TWO Kick Butt kisses!

RIM Tanks!

2011-04-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

As all the excitement was starting for the royal wedding, Research in Motion was having a stroke. Specifically a downstroke! RIM's shares freefell 12% in Frankfurt after cutting it's profit outlook. It's seems most consumers are spending their money on Apple or Google's Android products!

The chart above is RIM's stock on the Canadian stock exchange Friday morning. The Ontario, Canada company is having trouble keeping even Canadian analysts optimistic about the stock, as a number of them have downgraded their outlook on the company.

I think this is a better graphical explanation of what is happening to the stock. Let me explain: Mr shareholder is walking down the street with his RIM shares in his pocket and just minding his own business... well I think you get the idea!

White iPhone 4 email ad

2011-04-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

I just got this in the e(mail) from Apple.

Buy Online
Order from the Apple Online Store, and we'll ship it free, directly to your door.

Buy at the Apple Retail Store
Visit your favourite Apple Retail Store, and we'll set it up just the way you like.

My response:

Dear Apple,
Thanks for taking the time to email me your latest offering of yet another new iPhone that works very similarly to my iPhone 3, and EXACTLY the same as my iPhone4.

Does it come in Green?

Royal wedding fever

2011-04-28T13:23:00.001-07:00

Yes I am getting a fever from the wedding due to start in just over 13 hours! If I had a sponsor I'd suggest taking Advil, Motrin or Tylonol... but I don't - so just take something!

In actuality, it will be a joyous event and watched worldwide. There is no lack of methods by which you may prepare, watch or just dive right into everything royal and specifically Will and Kate's wedding. The iTunes store has a plethora of iPhone and iPad apps dedicated to the royal wedding and everything associated with it. Some are even cartoon and games versions.

I even found a countdown until the wedding starts. Not sure what happens when it reaches the time of 0:00:00

There will be many eyes on Westminster Abbey starting at 10:00 AM, April 29th, 2011. I remember watching Charles and Diana's wedding almost 30 years ago. We didn't have iPhones and iPads or the internet to watch the wedding but many eyes sat in front of televisions to watch.

Let's hope they have a Kick Butt wedding!

Royal Wedding - watch on iPhone or iPad

2011-04-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

Are you planning to watch the Royal Wedding LIVE tomorrow??? If you aren't going to be parked in front of the idiot box, what will you do? How about watching it using your iPhone or iPad!

It all starts at 10:00AM UK time, and last 4 hours. You can watch it live on YouTube here.

Radar Chaos update!

2011-04-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

I've been playing Big Fat Simulation's latest release, Radar Chaos, and thought I'd share a few unique features this game has over any other ATC (air traffic control) game out there yet!

1. The Control Interface is simple to understand and use. Slow & Fast and Up & Down are self explanatory. The heading uses the 360 degree compass, whereas 360 is North, 090 is East, 180 is South and 270 is West. Just drag the pointer in the direction you want the plane to fly, and even if you don't understand the compass points, you can still play the game.

2. Snitch Detector: Like some air traffic control radars have in real life, this game detects when two or more aircraft get to close. If there is less than 1,000 feet, or less than 3 miles lateral separation, you lose points - better than losing your job! It even draws a line when they get close showing the actually distance in tenths of a mile.

In this example the aircraft are 600' and 4.3 miles apart!

3. Mountains: The Mountains Level is my favorite so far. The mountains are brown (easy to recognize) and even have an altitude symbol beside them. If you place an aircraft too low in the mountains you get a comment, such as "hey, what are those billy goats doing up here?" or something like that!

4. Music: I actually like the music that plays with the game. Adds an element of suspense. I'm glad they did away with the voices of the pilots like they had in their original games, which are still available. The sounds associated with crashes, near misses etc... are appropriate and made me jump the first time I heard one. Avoid this!

5. Score: I'll be honest here, I need some practice at this because this is one area where I need to improve. The game shows how well a player does in a few ways. There is an airline satisfaction meter that gives a great visual representation of how well you are doing. There is also a status based on experience level - I've reached the mighty "instructor" level now. Most importantly, the game shows a player what their salary would be as an air traffic controller based on how well they do. Airplanes crashing into mountains or each other negatively affects this score.

With 10 levels, Radar Chaos is a great game that you will never get bored with. Have fun with it, and just don't beat my Kick Butt score!!!

Location Data tracking

2011-04-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Steve,

Is it true that Apple is tracking my location? "We haven't been tracking anyone," has been Steve Jobs' answer to the million questions he has received on the subject.

The reality is for anyone with a GPS equipped device, be it an iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry or any other smartphone, someone, somehow could possibly figure out where you are.

The analogy I think of is - if you are using a flashlight to look for something, then that something can find you too!

TweetDeck 2.0 - Better, Stronger, Faster

2011-04-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

Now this is exciting news.... maybe not as highly rated as the incredible news about the iPhone 4 now being available in white, check out my extensive review here, but TweetDeck has just released version 2.0 for the iPhone and iPad. The enhancements are significant.

The coding has literally been rebuilt from scratch. Instead of reworking and building onto something old, they did a rebuilt. They have the technology. They have the capability to make it better than it was before. Better, stronger, faster - just like the 6 million dollar man.

TweetDeck's interface with Facebook and Twitter will make this a very competitive social application that you can run on your Apple product.

TweetDeck 2.0 seriously Kicks Butt!

WHITE

2011-04-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

"Ohhhhhhh....myyyyyyy..... goddddddd......" it's here!

Yes, there is now a WHITE iPhone 4.

Works just like the black one.

Nough said!

Sony Tablets

2011-04-26T07:30:00.001-07:00

The iPad 2 is still new right? Well it hasn't been out long and already there are products being unveiled that will compete directly with it. Some are inferior and some, in the eyes of Apple, are downright scary - because they are so darn competitive!

The Sony S1 and S2, which both make use of Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS, might be two of the best products being released that will compete directly against Apple's products. The S1, with it's 9.4 inch screen and 3G and WiFi capability will look and act most like the iPad 2, but it also features an infra-red port, making the Sony Playstation connection possible.

The S2 is a different tablet altogether, featuring two folding 5.5 inch screens. This clamshell tablet folds small enough to fit into a jacket pocket!!!

Can't wait to try either of these out!

More Apple Q2 news

2011-04-25T16:06:00.001-07:00

I found another interesting tidbit of information released at Apple's Q2 conference call. Tim Cook, Apple's COO, made reference to China being their fastest growing market. Sales grew by almost 250%, compared to the same period last year, and the first fiscal half reached sales of almost $5 Billion ($5,000,000,000).

Also, Apple's iPhone accounts for about 8% of China's 850M (850,000,000) strong mobile customer base. Even though companies such as Motorola, Nokia and Samsung have a lead over Apple in smartphone sales, things look good indeed for Apple in China.

Groupon iPhone app

2011-04-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid it was always an adventure to go visit our grandparent's house. The seemed to collect everything. A few things I will never forget though; the bowl of matches on the coffee table, and the large shoebox filled with coupons. They used coupons for everything. I think their whole shopping experience revolved around what coupons they had and where they could save money. Over the years I'm sure they spent more on gas than they saved by driving to four different places to get the shopping done.

I hate coupons. I hate flyers. And I hate carrying extra pieces of paper in my pocket. I NEVER carry any coupons with me. One App I do like is the Groupon app (free of course). Essentially you type in your city, or let it do so automatically, and check out the deals around you. If you are going to a place that has an offer, just buy the coupon (groupon) as you would online, and you save on your purchase.

Now if I could only talk my grandparents into getting an iPhone...

iPhone 5 prototype

2011-04-24T00:02:00.000-07:00

Apparently some game developers (those lucky few) have been given an iPhone 4 equipped with the A5 chip. This is the same chip that has done wonders for the iPad2, making it quite a bit faster than the original iPad. These iPhone 4 looking devices are likely to be iPhone 5 prototypes.

The latest rumors put the iPhone 5 in an Apple store near you sometime around September. I also heard a rumor that the prototype is being referred to as the iPhone 4S, though with the massive power enhancement I think it will get it's own number... 5!

EA Easter sale

2011-04-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

Whether you celebrate Easter or not, take advantage of the big sale Electronic Arts is having on iOS games. EA has plenty of great iPhone, iPad touch and iPad games for sale at just $0.99.

Some of these are hugely discounted so instead of buying a quad-shot double-half decaf, extra hot foam-free soy latte, why not pick up a few of EA's games. Again, they cost just 99 cents. Even your grandmother would approve!!!

Apple Profit

2011-04-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

Apple's quarterly profit almost doubled (up 95%) from last year's quarter, thanks in part to strong sales of the iPhone and other products, which weren't slowed by the earthquake in Japan. The almost $6 Billion profit, yes that's a 6 with 9 zeros after it, was the result of an 83% increase in revenues.

$6,000,000,000.

Holy Kick Butt!

Radar Chaos Game

2011-04-19T12:57:00.000-07:00

I've written before about some great games made by Big Fat Simulations such as the very popular Airport Madness series for the computer and the iPhone & iPad. They've also made Sky Madness, Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and Will it Fly? Well now Big Fat has just launched a totally new game called Radar Chaos.

A simple control interface makes the game easy for any novice player!

Radar Chaos looks to have taken the realism from some of their original games, such as ATC and Simulator, added some excitement and wow factor they created in Airport Madness, and blended them all together in this latest product. Radar Chaos is the most expensive product listed on Big Fat Simulation's website, but at $14.99 it is still a bargain compared to many other ATC type games that don't compare in quality and realism.

The game displays an Airline Satisfaction scale, a player progress status, and assigns a monetary value to how well they play!

The "Mountains" level is one of the most challenging!

There are 10 different levels available in Radar Chaos starting with four maze scenarios, then progressing to six advanced levels with enough uniqueness to keep a player entertained for a long time.

Here is a screenshot of the "Islands" level with six airports amidst volcanic mountains!

Radar Chaos is a fun and realistic radar-based air traffic control game and simulation. The player gets to control 400 square miles of airspace that surrounds each airport. Choose from easy to realistic settings and also whether you want to have emergencies or bad weather that includes lightning storms.

Probably one of the best aviation game packages available. Big Fat Simulations even has instructional videos describing how to play each level, although it's quite easy to pick up the basics. Radar Chaos seriously KICKS BUTT!!!

Undo

2011-04-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

There is a cool new function in Google's Gmail Webapp for the iPhone and Android smartphones. Basically it's an undo function, like you might use on your computer with Word. It allows you to undo certain actions such as deletes, labels, archiving, moving messages etc...

The undo function, which will display for a few seconds, saves going into the deleted files, or wherever appropriate, and going through all the actions associated with correcting a mistake. It's a simple little function, but for people like me a true time saver!

Cracked iPhone Screen

2011-04-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

After three years and three different variations of iPhones, I actually damaged one. I dropped it on the road and it cracked the screen - OUCH! I can still see whats underneath but it doesn't look pretty.

To be honest, it's not the first time I've dropped it. Many times I've expected to see damage only to be pleasantly surprised by the iPhone's sturdiness, which I might add feels much stronger than some of the other smartphones out there. But this time, the surprise resulted in a knot in my stomach as I realized it truly was cracked, and badly.

Thankfully mine wasn't this bad!!!

The funny thing was I wanted to post a picture here, so I took a quick screenshot that I could post later showing the damage. I guess I was still a bit shocked by the damage because I had forgotten that the screenshot would only show what's under the glass, not the actual image as I saw it looking at the iPhone.

It remineded me of a story from a long time ago when I met a girl on a boat when I was a teenager. We were looking over the railing having a great conversation until she questioned how high up the side of the boat the water would get during a really high tide. duh.....

April 12th, 1961

2011-04-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

Happy 50th Birthday to April 12th, 1961. This might sound like an obscure date, unless it happens to be your 50th Birthday today, but that date, 50 years ago does represent something.

It was on that date that Yuri Gagarin, became the first human in space. This was accomplished without computers like we have today. There were no cell phones back then. Televisions were popping up in most homes but certainly didn't have PVR or recording abilities and most of them were still black&white. Back then when you rolled up the window in a car, you actually cranked a handle instead of pushing a button, hence the "roll" part.

First manned space flight facts:
-Major Yuri Gagarin was 27 years old
-Soviet Spacecraft Vostok 1
-Flight lasted 108 minutes
-Reached a height of 188 miles above earth
-Launched from Star City, Russia
-4 years after Soviets launched Sputnik 1
(Sputnik was 1st earth orbiting satellite)

It made me think how far we (humans) have come in that time and how quickly we change things still. Companies are designing, building and selling new electronic devices at record speeds. Just take a look at how many smart phones are available now and all the new designs coming out to compete with Apple's newest iPad. The iPhone 4 can do backflips around the Vostok 1 and it certainly doesn't weight over 5 tons - but the iPhone can't go to space!

April 12th, 1961. A day that really did change the world. A day when an apple was just an apple!

Tiger

2011-04-11T21:56:00.001-07:00

After writing about the golf app which is really focused on Tiger Woods, there was news about him to report.

He played well at the Masters, but remained winless as he has for about 18 months now.

I saw a bit of it, pretty entertaining stuff. Not related to any Apple products in any way.

Tiger Apps

2011-04-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

Type in Tiger Woods in the app store and you get a huge number of iPhone apps all related to golf. There's even an Tiger Woods trivia app, unofficial of course, but at least it's free. Electronic Arts has released the Tiger Woods PGA Tour for $4.99 that is probably one of the best golf game apps I've seen yet. You get to play alongside Tiger and you can compare how you've done against your Facebook friends. This brings the whole social networking aspect into the game also.

The game is also available on the iPad. With EA making the game, and Tiger's name on it, it's sure to be a long drive!

Now if they made a Tiger Woods - How To Get Women app, they could sell that for $499.99.

iPhone Battery Display - 110%

2011-04-09T08:22:00.001-07:00

"American's give 110%. Europeans understand basic math!" I heard that somewhere once and found it funny. Funnier still because there's much truth there too! Americans tend to give things everything they've got. And Europeans seem to stick to fact with exacting measurements. I guess thats why I like them both, for different reasons.

So I was recharging my iPhone the other day, like I do every day, and I forgot I left it charing overnight. The next day, surprise, surprise, it read 100% charged. I plugged the iPhone into the Auxiliary port in the car and played some tunes for about 30 minutes on my drive to work, read a few emails and even made a phone call. When I got to work the iPhone battery display still showed 100%. So it got me wondering how they measure this, and is 100% truly fully charged or can we charge it beyond this point, where it doesn't show anything above 100%. Maybe it should show 110%, Apple being an American company after all - ha ha.

I've also noticed that at the lower range, below 50%, the battery percentage drops more quickly than in the higher range. I'll do some digging around for more info but its' got me thinking that maybe that little % number doesn't really mean much at all. I might just go back to the basic power display green bar.

Fate?

2011-04-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

What the hell??? My last blog post (Wednesday) was about how far I've come in trusting my iPhone and using it as my morning alarm. I even joked about my old Timex watch. Well the next day, yesterday, my watch stopped. IT JUST STOPPED! I've had it not even two years and the damn thing stopped working at exactly 11:16 yesterday morning. I wasn't doing anything crazy at 11:16. In fact, I was proof-reading a report. Nothing that would stop a watch.

I spent the rest of the day pulling out my iPhone to check the time, and I've been doing the same today. What surprised me is how many other people do the same thing. Fewer and fewer people are wearing watches and are looking at their mobile devices to check the time. While my watch is in "the shop," I'll be one of those people in the Starbucks line pulling out my iPhone to check how much longer I have on my break. I wonder what the added risk is that I'll drop it now that I'm pulling it out many more times a day?

My watch (a Tissot) is probably worth as much as the iPhone, and although it looks fancy, I can't do nearly what my iPhone can. It got my wondering why I even have it. It doesn't even have an alarm. It just looks good. Maybe I should get the new iPod, put it on a wrist strap and wear that as my watch - it can definitely do more!

iTrust

2011-04-06T21:37:00.000-07:00

I trust my iPhone more than I ever imagined I would. Being slightly OCD, I have often had more than one alarm set to get up in the morning. Starting from my late teens I always had a plugged-in clock radio next to my bed, AND a battery operated small portable clock. Soon the portable clock gave way to the multi-programmable Timex watch (remember the one that was harder to program than a VCR).

It was after a year of owning an iPhone that I actually started using the alarm feature. It took me another couple months to realize I could set multiple alarms - great for those people that have varying wake-up times during the week. Simply select the time(s) that apply for the next day and you're all set to wake up properly.

Times (no pun intended) have changed and maybe I'm just not as paranoid, or maybe I just don't give a damn anymore, but I'm down to using my iPhone as my sole source for waking up. Without the alarm I'd sleep until 10AM, so I really am putting a huge amount of trust in my iPhone.

iNap@Work

2011-04-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

Continuing on with some more silly iPhone applications...

Have you taken a nap at work when you are suppose to be working on something? Getting in a quick nap half-way through the day can help recharge the human batteries and make for a more productive afternoon. For those who need a quick head-on-the-desk break, you are in luck. iNap@Work is a goofy little app made for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad that makes office-type noises, to make it sound like you are working when really you are out in sleepville for a short time.

George Constanza would be proud of you as you sleep away and your co-workers would hear office sounds coming from your cubicle and wish they could be as productive as you are. You can select noises such as keyboard typing, mouse clicks, pencil sharpener, stapler, writing and paper shuffling. There are even human noises with sniffling and throat clearing. You can also adjust the frequency of the noises to make it sound like you are more or less busy. Most importantly, there is also a built in alarm clock - so you can wake up in time to go home!

So go ahead and buy this app for just $0.99, set the alarm, choose the noises you want, and take a nap under your desk like George did. Just don't blame me if you get fired!

Winning?

2011-04-04T11:15:00.001-07:00

We all want to be winners in life, and sometimes we are. It often just depends how you measure a win. Some might measure their success (or winningness) by the cars they drive, clothes they wear and size of their paycheck. Others will consider family, friends and happiness as winning traits.

This might border on absurd, but there is an iPhone app that is all about winning. You can tag any of your photos with #Winning and you can email share on Facebook or email to some losers! Hey, there's an idea for an app... Losers!!!

Royal i-Wedding

2011-04-02T21:26:00.001-07:00

OK, this made me laugh. I'm not much into reading the tabloids about what famous people are doing to get themselves into trouble, sorry Charlie Sheen, or who is dating who! The last thing I need is a tabloid app on my iPhone. None of this interstes me.

I did, however, find an iPhone and iPad application that is all about Will and Kate and the Royal Love Story. It apparently has ten chapters of picture galleries and video, taking us back to Will's early years and all the way to today... or the BIG day, which is Friday, April 29th at Westminster Abbey, for those that didn't get an invite! There is even a chapter devoted to his mother Diana - the reason for which I will probably part with $1.99 to buy the iPhone app called Mirror W&K.

For those who love everything Royal, this app might be just right for you.

More iPhone 5 news

2011-03-31T07:53:00.001-07:00

When do we change the classification of a rumor and call it news! For instance, until Steve Jobs stands on a stage and holds a new gadget and says "here's the new iPhone 5" we really don't know when it will come out, or if it really is a thing yet. We often get leaked bits of information or a tip from a "close source" but not much to substantiate it to become fact!

There was a comment recently by Howard Stringer (CEO of Sony) that they were developing parts for an 8 Megapixel camera for what could only by the iPhone 5. Does this mean that it's coming out soon? Does this confirm even the existence of a future iPhone... let's see: iPhone, iPhone 3, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4.... yes, let's name it iPhone 5!!! Brilliant!!

It is possible that Sony just decided to make an 8MP camera for Apple, just in case they wanted to look at it... but unlikely.

Apple recently stated they would be discussing operating systems at their WWDC in San Francisco this June, but they made no mention of new hardware. My bet is they will wait until late summer to unveil the iPhone 5, staggering their news!

Sold Out

2011-03-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

The WWDC event being held in San Francisco - Moscone West, sold out in under 12 hours! At $1600 a ticket, there are a lot of people who bought quickly as anyone who waited missed an opportunity to attend Apple's big yearly event.

The WWDC usually sells out, but to do so in less than half a day, as opposed to two weeks, is quite impressive. Let's hope the event is just as impressive.

WWDC 2011

2011-03-28T18:43:00.001-07:00

Apple's yearly Worldwide Developers Conference has been announced for June 6-10 in San Francisco. Reading their announcement, they invite potential attendees to "a preview of the future of iOS and Mac OS X" but make no mention of any new hardware. We know they will be showcasing software but will they be unveiling the iPhone 5? There is no lack of speculation in that department but with the iPhone 4 still relatively new and the iPad 2 just out, maybe they will be waiting until fall for new hardware announcements.

The 5-day event costs $1600... $320/day for those still counting with their fingers! Add airfare from wherever you might be, hotels and restaurants, and it's going to cost at least a few grand to attend. But wow, what a show it would be - AGAIN!

I don't think Apple has ever disappointed attendees at a WWDC.

iPad 2

2011-03-27T06:34:00.000-07:00

Stats:
Dual-core processor
Improved graphics performance
Front and back cameras (with FaceTime)
1024 X 768 resolution
9.7 inch screen size
0.34 inches thin
1.33 lbs
iOS 4.3 software
16GB, 32GB and 64GB options
Available in black or white

So you may notice a few changes from the original iPad to the iPad2, apart from the facts that it is thinner (by 33%) and lighter (by up to 15%). The new glass screen is also thinner, and reportedly stronger too with it's increased flexibility.

Apple added front and back cameras to the iPad2 featuring HD video and FaceTime, which can be used with Skype. FaceTime debuted with the iPhone4.

You will also notice that all the buttons controlling volume, mute and orientation lock are now located behind the device. Now you are only looking at the home button. The battery has the same 10 hour lifespan, and the speakers, though designed differently, sound roughly the same.

With the new Apple dual-core A5 chip in the iPad2, everything will be faster, thinner and lighter!

So whether you are buying your first iPad, or upgrading from the original iPad, the new iPad2 definitely Kicks Butt!

Familiar Ringtone

2011-03-25T17:33:00.001-07:00

Most of us are familiar with the stock ringtone we get with our iPhones. How often have you been in a public place, like a supermarket line-up, and you hear that familiar ringtone that comes on the standard iPhone setting and you reach into your pocket to grab the phone, but it isn't yours that's ringing! Or you wonder why the person beside you hasn't answered it yet and you realize later that you missed a call.

I often leave my iPhone on vibrate so I feel it ringing in my back pocket, on my hip or in my jacket. This way I'm the only one that knows it ringing. I also started assigning unique ringtones to different people so I would know who's calling. For instance, when work phones it rings with a warning klaxon. Even my kids now know when it's work.

The funniest iPhone ringer story I have also involves the men's room. I was at the airport waiting for a flight and decided to make use of the men's room, since I'd just finished a rather large coffee. Standing at the farthest urinal, a gentlemen was seated in the stall to my right and I heard that oh-too-familiar iPhone ringtone go off.

If it had been me in that stall I would likely have silenced the phone and called the person back a few minutes later. This gentlemen decided to answer the call "Bob Stevens" (not his real name). I did the only reasonable think I could think of doing. I pulled the urinal's flush handle and held it for about ten seconds so the caller would have no doubt where Bob was and what he was doing!

It reminds me of a free game called Bathroom Simulator, made by BigFat Simulations. In fact, many times when I enter a men's room and have to make a decision about which urinal to choose from, I think of that game.

iPhone 5

2011-03-24T20:03:00.001-07:00

When I was one of the first to get the iPhone 3GS, I was thrilled!!! I had the latest and greatest smartphone available at the time. I could even take videos, which I liked to show to poor iPhone 3G owners "... nah nah nah, I have the 3GS...." Then the iPhone 4 came out and I felt left out. Playing with the iPhone 4, I was expecting more... but apart from the shape change, it didn't seem different enough from the 3GS.

Now there is talk about the iPhone 5 and what it might be like.

Facts:
-The iPhone 5 doesn't exist yet!
-...I guess that's it for facts

Rumours:
-The iPhone 5 is similar in shape and size to the iPhone 4 but has a larger screen
-It has a metallic back
-The iPhone 5 will debut a the Apple's WWDC in the summer

Top Ten KickButt requests for the iPhone:
10. It will still fit into my back pocket
9. It will have an unbreakable screen
8. It will email me its location if it determines I've lost it
7. It will float - don't ask!
6. It will correct incorrect words, but not when I'm trying to spell it that way
5. The batter will NEVER die
4. It will have less embarrassing ringtones
3. The alarm will work jan 2 and 3 (software issue) sorry boss!
2. My kids won't understand it better than I do
1. I get it first!

AutoCorrect issues

2011-03-23T17:41:00.001-07:00

Haven't we all have an issue with AutoCorrect not placing the correct word when we want it to. This usually occurs if it is an unusual word or not a real word. Sometimes we make a typing mistake, which is easy to do with the iPhone, and the AutoCorrect feature places a word more closely matched to what we accidently typed. Some of those mistakes can be embarrassing to say the least.

If you try type in the name Irene, you get urine, which as you can imagine might get interesting. Another might be suggesting you "invite" a friend, but the text comes out "knife" a friend.

There is an iPhone hack app, available at Cydia Store, that turns your iPhone's AutoCorrect into ManualCorrect. It does the opposite. If the app thinks a word is spelled incorrectly, is shows what it thinks is the correct word, that you can then tap to correct, otherwise it leaves it alone.

This app definitely Licks Butt... I mean, Kicks... KICKS butt! careful now!

Blackberry Playbook

2011-03-22T14:17:00.001-07:00

Research in motion has just released some details about their new tablet called the Playbook. As suspected, the Playbook is available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions. The 7 inch Wi-Fi device is priced to compete with the iPad2, matching the same prices per GB of storage, but is smaller than Apple's 9.7 inch device. It might be a tough entry into the market for RIM trying to catch up with Apple and the proven success of its iPad models. From what I've read, the Playbook doesn't contain a dedicated email, contacts or calendar, as the iPad does.

Further concern for both RIM and Apple, might be Samsung's 8.9 inch Android Honeycomb Tablet, which will be selling for less than the two previous devices. Or, matching Rim and Apple's price, the 10.1 Galaxy Tab is larger and thinner yet!

Just as the smartphone industry competition started heating up a couple of years ago (with iPhone, Blackberry and Android) now the tablet market is doing just the same. It's interesting how RIM, Apple, Google and others are able to create a device and the competitive market so quickly!

Research In Motion - Tablet

2011-03-21T16:45:00.001-07:00

Research In Motion is expected to announce this week when they will officially be launching their new Tablet. Recently, RIM's Blackberry has lost market share to other smartphones such as Apple's iPhone and smartphones operating on Google's Android OS.

RIM is expecting to gain back some high-tech market share with the introduction of the Tablet to compete directly with Apple's iPad2, with similar features, memory and price.

We are still waiting for the details but it looks like the Tablet will be offered in 16, 32 and 64 GB versions.

Stay tuned...

RunKeeper Pro

2011-03-20T11:07:00.000-07:00

I've blogged before about some iPhone apps that combine the latest technology with sports, such as skiing, biking or running. I've recently been playing with an App called RunKeeper Pro (available on most smartphones) that is one of the best sports app products I've seen recently.

Like many other apps, this one will measure distance travelled (using the iPhone's GPS) and run timing in many different ways. It includes all the goodies like audio cues based on time or distance and it can display current pace or speed, or average pace or speed. There is also a timer feature, interval setting and the ability to show calories burned during each activity.

At first I was a little hesitant when it required me to generate an account by entering my email and a password, but after a little investigating I found out why. The app features a section called "sharing settings" whereas you can share your activities and route maps via RunKeeper Live, Twitter or Facebook - or all three! You can easily check past activities for comparison.

Another couple of neat features are a few icons displayed allowing you to set the orientation of the device and take photos. the app also connects to your iPod part of the iPhone for playing music. It really is an all-in-one program making this a real Kick Butt iPhone application.

I recall seeing the app for $9.99, but it's currently on sale for 100% off - free is good!

Geiger Counter

2011-03-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

With the recent events in Japan and the concerns of radiation leaks from their nuclear reactors, it got me wondering if there were any good iPhone applications applicable to the topic. I realize it wouldn't be possible to turn your iPhone into a Geiger Counter, but I was hoping to find a good app that would at least show radiation levels drawn in real-time from stations around the world.

I didn't have much luck finding an iPhone app that fit the bill of what I was looking for. There are a couple of good websites that show this though. Check out AggNuke for a representation of radiation levels within Japan, and RadNet for levels within North America. I'll keep looking for other worldwide locations. They both count CPM (radiation counts per minute) which is quite simplified. Anything over 100 is considered an alert phase.

I did find a gag app for the iPhone that looks and acts like a Geiger Counter that you control by tilting your iPhone. Just tilt your device and trick your friends into thinking they might be radioactive. Geiger Counter - Radiation gag is available at the iTunes store for just $0.99

I have a friend or two this will be worth using on!!!

2011-03-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

I've commented about some other great iPhone games and applications offered before by Fluik Entertainment, and like those, Gunner Galaxies is worth downloading. This iPhone app is free at iTunes. Instead of paying for a good quality app with fantastic graphics, the game is offered for free (which is a great game just on its own) and there on in-game purchases available for those who want more out of the experience.

What I like about this is the ability to play the game for free and see first hand whether I want to buy extra features or continue playing an already fun, fast-paced, addictive game.

I found a great review of the game here, at 148 Apps. They have some other great articles and reviews too!

Fluik Entertainment is the same company that developed Cool Spell, Gunner and Bubble Rainbow. Fluik also teamed up with Big Fat Simulations to bring the already successful Airport Madness series of games to the iPhone and iPad platforms.

$999.99 iPhone App

2011-03-08T21:24:00.001-08:00

It's so easy to make an iPhone app purchase for $0.99 and think nothing of it. It's less expensive than a coffee even. Getting a couple little apps and songs each week might add up, but considering the cost of the iPhone and plan, it really isn't that much more.

Surfing the iTunes store, as I do on a regular basis, I came an iPhone application that was a little more pricy than most out there. BarMax is designed to help students pass the bar exam. No, not the drinks serving kind, but the LAW kind. It's loaded with questions from previous exams and on the iPhone makes a neat little platform for studying.

I must have looked at it too quickly because all I saw at first was the 99 cents and I was all too willing to buy it. I was a little shocked when I noticed the iPhone application was actually $999.99. Wow, a grand for an app!

Texting mistakes

2011-03-06T19:53:00.000-08:00

We've all made the occasional typing mistake in an email or text message, and usually the iPhone is great at catching these and changing anything close to the word into the proper spelling. This is a good thing... most of the time. Sometimes, it's quite disastrous.

If you mistyped a message to your sweety and your text to her came out as "you are such a sweaty!" she might not get the warm fuzzy feeling. Neither would she like a message saying you'd "like to die with her tonight," as opposed to "dine" with her.

These are a few examples of some iPhone text mistakes you can find at DAMN YOU AUTO CORRECT which has many hilarious mistakes for your reading pleasure. I bet you can't read much without laughing historically... I mean hysterically.

I've never done anything quite that bad on my iPhone yet, but I've had a few silly ones!

Mobile Ad Market Share

2010-09-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

There have been some interesting statistics floating around lately, such as how Apple makes such a large percentage of smartphone profits with a much smaller market percentage of sales (with the popular iPhone). Another one I came across recently is the market share of mobile ads.

Google and Apple are tied in first place with 21% each!!!

What surprised me was how Google and Apple each have more than Yahoo and Microsoft combined. Also, Nokia (with it's larege mobile phone sales volume, had a relatively small market share of mobile ads.

Regardless of how fancy a mobile device or smartphone can look, and how great the advertising for them is, nothing speaks a great truth than numbers.

Happy Birthday!

2010-09-26T13:16:00.001-07:00

Happy birthday to you,
happy birthday to you,
happy birthday dear Google,
happy birthday to you!!!

...and many more!!!!!!!!!

Yes, Google just turned 12. Wow, almost a teenager. Like dealing with a child, Google will be going through puberty soon, and emotions might run high. Google will probably feel like they know more than the rest of us, and that none of us understand them and what they're going through. There might be some crying episodes for no apparent reason and possibly some quiet times too when Google just doesn't want to talk to anyone.

Google, as you deal with these growing times, we are here for you. Don't worry about your temporary awkwardness or zits, we know you will outgrow all of this. Just hang in there, stay close with your friends, and listen to your parent's advice.

HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY Google!

An Apple a day keeps the profits - Hurray!

2010-09-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

When it comes to sales of all smartphones, Apple doesn't actually make up a huge percentage of what people buy. In fact, Apple's iPhones only account for about 3% of all smartphones sold. True!

The pie-chart above shows the breakdown of smartphone sales for all the big players, and as you can see, Apple certainly isn't the biggest - not even in the top three! But wait, there's more... the story gets stranger.

Even though Apple's iPhone sales are a miniscule (tongue in cheek) 3% of all smartphone sales, Apple made a whopping 39% of all smartphone profits!

Nokia, Samsung and LG phones made up 2/3 of all sales, but only 1/3 of all profits!!!

It looks like Apple's business model of providing a pricier product works better than their competitor's plan of selling as many devices as possible. Of course, the iPhone has also been highly praised by most people that own one, even though it's one of the most expensive mobile devices out there!

Cold War - Apple vs Google

2010-09-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

Remember some story from a long time ago about Eve presenting Adam an apple and saying "eat this dear!" Even today, an apple can be very dangerous, especially when we are talking about the company Apple! When it comes to the mobile device market, it looks like kill or be killed!

It appears that Apple is buying as many shares as possible of a Swedish company called Polar Rose. This company holds numerous patents, one of which enables extracting 3D features from a 2D image. This is how they operate their face-recognition platform that accesses a library of photos, such as your iPhone pictures, Facebook or Twitter.

Apple can obviously reap the benefits of adding this technology to some of their existing/developing facial recognition software. Another bonus for Apple is that if they own this company, Google doesn't! Specifically, it won't be on the Android.

I suspect in the next year we will see more of these companies playing the offensive against one another just to stop the other from having something that they don't. I refer to this as the Cold War, Apple versus Google!

ⓕⓛⓘⓟ ⓑⓤⓑⓑⓛⓔ

2010-09-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

Flip Bubble is a very cool little iPhone app that takes whatever you type and either flips it upside down or puts a bubble around each character. You can then easily copy the text to paste into an SMS message, email, or post directly to Facebook or Twitter.

Make your friends hold their iPhones upside down to read your texts!

Cute little bubbles around each character!

This application is still free on the iTunes site, but the free trial ends very soon! Get this app today - it totally sʞɔıʞ ⓑⓤⓣⓣ !

"Will It Fly" takes flight!

2010-09-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago I blogged about an iPhone application that was soon to be released. In fact, I was even given a screenshot from the beta version of the game. Will It Fly was released on the iTunes store today! The idea of the iPhone game is to load the airplane up with as many people and boxes of cargo as you dare and see if it can still take-off and out-climb a mountain, bridge or volcano. The more you carry without crashing, the higher your score.

The game has two modes of play, basic and advanced. In the advanced version, you are given the wind (headwind or tailwind), temperature and runway elevation, and then you load up the aircraft and hope it survives the departure. You don't need to be an aerodynamicist to play the advanced version - the game even gives a basic description of how to play without being overly complicated. Headwind and cool temperature = good. Tailwind and hot temperature = bad! The lower the elevation, the better the aircraft will perform.

Try the basic first to get the hang of playing the game

The bridge is higher than it looks and watch the big drop-off at the beginning!

The volcano scenario is quite challenging in the advanced version. Watch the winds and hope the the temperature isn't too hot or you won't be able to carry much!

Originally developed by Big Fat Simulations for the computer, and adapted for the iPhone by Fluik Entertainment, this iPhone app has the ingredients and history to do very well. It certainly scores well on the Kick Butt - O - Meter!!!

Commodore 64

2010-09-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

This iPhone application got my attention right away. Remember the Commodore 64 that came out in early 1982? I LOVED that system so much at the time. I was amazed and what it would do. Fast forward almost 30 years and here we are.

The Commodore 64, available on the iTunes store, let's you play some of those nostalgic games once again, but on your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad. I get a real kick out of playing some of the retro games from the past.

Check out the old style keyboard!

I still like the look of the old games, but on your new apple devices it will look much better than it use to.

iOS 4.2 beta

2010-09-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

Just as we (most of us) are getting us to iOS 4.1 on our iPhones, Apple is letting loose the beta version of iOS 4.2 for development team members.

From some of the latest reading out there it sounds like many people are having trouble loading it though. I've heard about some people having new issues that they hadn't experienced before.

I guess that's why it's called a BETA version. Stand-by for more info.

Nike & GPS

2010-09-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

OK this iPhone application is very cool! Nike & GPS lets you track the distance and speed of your running. Set the type of music you want and off you go.

After you finish the run, check the your Nike iPhone app and view the route, distance, and average speed. You can even find your best mile speed!

I love my iPhone and I love running. This lets me combine the two and use this great app to track what I do, while I listen to music from the iPod songs loaded on my iPhone.

This rocks!

iOS 4.1 - a BIG improvement!

2010-09-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

For anyone who still have an iPhone 3G and upgraded to iOS 4.0, you surely noticed how sluggish your iPhone's performance became. You may have even experienced the type of erratic behavior you'd expect from a 4.0 year old. Well iOS 4.1 has come to the rescue.

I tend to wait a week or so before loading updates so I get a chance to read reviews. Everything I've read, heard and experienced myself has been positive about iOS 4.1

The best quote I've heard is that "4.1 is everything 4.0 should have been!" I guess Apple can't hit one out of the park every time.

Speed Test

2010-09-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how quickly your Apple iPhone or iPod Touch downloads and uploads information? There is an application called Speed Test that tests your iPhone or iPod and tells you this information. It has been on the iTunes store since February!

The app lets you select download and uploads speeds to be shown in kbps, Mbps or kB/s. You can sort history of tests newest to oldest, or oldest to newest. You can select from many different download sites for comparison.

This app give you a great idea of what locations are good or not-so-good for iPhone download speed. This iPhone app is FREE, and best of all there are no annoying ads displayed.

This fantastic app helps you Kick Butt better with your iPhone and iPod!

LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY!!!

2010-09-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we get lucky and things just work out, but maybe in this case it was a combination of luck and persistance. I've blogged a few times about some fantastic online games and iPhone applications by Big Fat Simulations, and recently I mentioned that they might be working on an iPhone app for a game they made called Will It Fly?

I've been bugging them for a couple weeks to get some details about the project and I just scored. One of their programmers has kindly sent me a screenshot of the beta version of Will It Fly? I really really really wanted a screenshot of the iPhone game in play, but I didn't expect to actually get it, especially before being released on the iTunes store.

Here's a shot of a cargo plane loaded-up trying to outclimb a mountain!

From the shot above, it looks quite similar to the online game that keeps score and has challenges such as different wind directions and strengths, and the option to load as many passengers and as much baggage as you dare! Just watch out for mountains, volcanos, bridges and iPhone towers!

If they send this in to Apple soon we shouldn't have to wait too long for this iPhone game to be avaible. I plan to write an update when we find out more!

Screenshots # 4

2010-09-05T00:16:00.000-07:00

Airport Madness Mobile is an iPhone version of the successful Airport Madness series initially created for the PC by Big Fat Simulations. Soon after the initial Airport Madness was released they made Airport Madness 2, then Airport Madness 3, each offering far more than the previous versions and exponential in popularity also.

Here is a screenshot of Airport Madness Mobile in action.

There is also an Airport Madness Mobile Lite that is FREE at the iTunes store. Downloads of this iPhone app have been explosive!

Developed by the teamwork of Big Fat Simulations and Fluik Entertainment, two companies with proven track records in their own fields of expertise, Airport Madness builds upon an already popular PC game and brings it to the iPhone. Will we see this on the iPad sometime soon??? I hope so!

Screenshots # 3

2010-09-04T22:12:00.000-07:00

This was one of the first iPhone games I blogged about and after a year I'm still playing it. Moto X Mayhem is a fun iPhone app where you ride a dirtbike over different terrain, take jumps, go through tunnels and try to reach the end.

Here is an example of completing a jump!

As well as some great graphics, there are some funny sound effects when the biker does a wipe out! You can actually hear him/her grunt! Using Autorotation (rotation transformation) on your iPhone, you can control the pitch of the bike and even complete a loop if you go off a jump.

It's very entertaining!

Screenshots # 2

2010-09-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

Part two of screenshots from from great applications takes us to Gunner.

Here are some shots from Funner Gunner:

The game starts at a nice pace and builds quickly

Here's where we get to shop for new items

The game gets quite intense after a few minutes

As you can see from the pictures above, the artwork is amazing - about as good as you could get on an iPhone. Rich is colors and smooth in play, this addictive game has great sounds to accompany some fast-paced action. Fluik Entertainment has again brought us one of the best made iPhone games available today!

Screenshots # 1

2010-09-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

I've decided to add some screenshots of some great iPhone and iPad games I've blogged about. There are plenty to choose from at the iTunes store but these in particular are well made with great grahics, sounds, gameplay and run well on your mobile device!

Here are some shots from Pik's Revenge:

Pik starts off here and has plenty of places to go.

Pik collects treasures along the way. Note the fantastic graphics!!!

Here is where Pik improves health and gets tools!

As you can see from the screenshots above the graphics set a new standard for iPhone and iPad games and applications. These are top notch and Kick serious Butt!

Fotopedia Heritage

2010-09-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

I'm amazed at how handy my iPhone has been to me on trips the last couple of years. Not only can I use my mobile device to check in electronically at the airport and navigate around a new town, but I can book my hotel and airline tickets with my iPhone too.

I've just found an iPhone application on the iTunes store that has made planning a trip even more exciting. Fotopedia provides you a visual journey across the 890 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. With maps and some incredible pictures, this is a great app to help you plan which places to visit, and provide a huge amount of information once you've arrived.

This great application is free for the iPhone and the iPad, making your travel plans affordable and exciting. So download it today and Kick Butt!

Will it fly?

2010-09-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Will it fly is the big question indeed! The game Will it fly, another bigfatsimulations project, has been around a while and was made for your home computer. I'm going to do a little more investigating but it looks like there might be some development happening in the Apple related department... ie, you might be able to play it sooner than later on your iPhone or iPad.

There isn't anything about it at the iTunes store yet, or on the bigfat blog, but they were advertising for coders... just saying !!!!

More news to come...

Funner Gunner

2010-08-31T17:18:00.000-07:00

Another fantastic iPhone application developed by Fluik Entertainment is Funner Gunner. I played Asteroids as a kid and this well made app brings games like this to the year 2010 with class. Looks like they are working on developing this game for the big screen... yes... the iPad.

Graphics 10/10
Codework 10/10
Gameplay 10/10
Sounds 9/10 (iphone needs better speakers)

Fluik has made these other successful iphone applications also:

Pik's Revenge series
Cool Spell series
Airport Madness Mobile
Retro Balls
Tic Tac Draw

Word has it that Fluik is working on something new called Word Warrior. Coming from these guys, we know it will also kick some serious butt!

Airport Madness Mobile - Sudden Death

2010-08-31T17:08:00.001-07:00

A continuation of the development of the Airport Madness games is a sudden death version for the iPhone - Airport Madness Mobile. Best of all, this fantastic app is FREE at the iTunes store.

The idea is to see how long you last until you have a crash. The longer you survive, the better your score will be. There is even a scoreboard to compare your score against others.

Big Fat Simulations has a bunch of great PC games under it's name and is now breaking into the iPhone games and applications world with more great success!

check out the Airport Madness 3 - Facebook Application where you can check out your skills for free against friends!

Soundhound

2010-08-31T17:04:00.001-07:00

This is one of the best iphone applications I've seen in a while. I love music and when I want to know the name of the artist who sings a song, I use Soundhound to search out that information.

This great app is faster than any other app I've seen at determining the name and singer of a song. A quick search at the Apple iTunes store and Soundhound has both a free version and a more advance paid version, available for the iPhone and iPad!

It easily links to iTunes so you can quickly purchase a song to keep on your mobile device. Well worth the money, this application kicks butt!

IQ

2010-08-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a nifty little iPhone app that let's you test your IQ, or intelligence quotient, for those who didn't know.

By asking a series of questions from different categories, the game (or iphone application) determines your IQ level.

Give it a try, you might even learn a thing or two, and increase your IQ level.

Farmville for iPhone

2010-07-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

If you've managed to open up your laptop and turn it on all by yourself, then you've probably also heard of Farmville. FarmVille is the wildly popular game on Facebook, and now there is FarmVille for your iPhone.

I must admit I'm not a big fan of the game but that might be because I'm not very good at it. The iTunes store also has a FarmVille Guide and a FarmVille Secrets Exposed, which might improve my playing.

I'm off to go plant some spinach with my iPhone.

New Airport Madness

2010-07-02T22:49:00.000-07:00

A while ago I wrote about a new iPhone game Airport Madness Mobile that was taken from the very popular Airport Madness game made for PC's. They just released the latest version of the game called Airport Madness 3.

You can get a free try of the game here.

The full version has great graphics and gives you the flexibility to decide on crossing or parallel runways. You can choose complexity levels and different scenarios. There are even emergencies and weather that come into play.

It will be interesting to see if the latest game, Airport Madness 3, is a huge success like the other versions, and if it ever comes out on the iPhone or iPad.

Canada Day

2010-06-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

I thought it was appropriate to mention something about Canada Day. July 1st is the anniversary date of the 1867 Constitution Act, in essense, Canada's birthday. There is even an iPhone application that is great for just this day.

Canada Day - iPhone version has just about everything you need to know about Canada, including:

-Etymology
-History
-Government & Politics
-Law
-Foreign Relations & Military
-Provinces & Territories
-Geography & climate
-Science & Technology
-Economy
-Demographics
-Culture
-Language
-International Rankings

It even includes the National Anthem. "O Canada! Our home and native land!..."

This informative little app even has plenty of white and red COLOURS! (spelled correctly, eh!)

Dragon Dictation

2010-06-27T00:13:00.001-07:00

If you are as bad at texting as I am, you will love this app. Dragon Dictation is an easy-to-use voice recognition application that turns your voice into text or email. Just speak clearly and the software application types the words out for you. You can even edit afterwards.

This Kick Butt application is available for your iPhone and iPad, and both apps are free at the iTunes store.

eBay for iPhone

2010-06-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

I must admit, I've had never bought anything on eBay until just recently. I just downloaded eBay Mobile, the free iPhone application that lets you search and bid for items as you normally would on a computer. The big advantage of this great app is that you can do all of this on the fly. As your iPhone is mobile, so are all the applications you have loaded.

So if you are bidding on an item there is no need to sneak away to get online and check it out, or outbid someone else for that must have item. Just a quick and easy check with your iPhone and your done.

Bump

2010-06-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

Bump is an iPhone application that allow you share things like photos and contacts with a gentle bump of both devices together. You can also become quick facebook friends.

Don't blame me though if you break a couple of iPhones by slamming them together. The application is called BUMP, and that's what you do... gently!

Name that tune with Soundhound

2010-06-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

Soundhound is the fastest music recognition iPhone application I have ever seen. I like Shazam but this kicks its butt big time. Sometimes it will identify a song within a few seconds, instead of listening for a preset time and then sending it in for verification.

The latest version lets you bounce back and forth between Soundhound and iTunes for faster shopping of songs too! They also have a free version here if you want to try it out first, but it's worth spending the money on the full version.

Soundhound is easy to you use, and I've yet to find a song it doesn't know!

Project 365 Pro

2010-06-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

Here is a great little application called Project 365. It allows you to take a picture every day of the year, as you normally do with your iPhone, and store it like a photo album for the year. The no-add version Project 365 Pro also lets you view it as a slideshow, and it costs just 99 cents.

Whether you want to record your child's first year, the year leading up to a wedding, the view from the same place every day or compare the yearly weather, Project 365 is for you. It allows you to crop images, add captions and view the day and year of the picture.

It's a great way to document one year of your life and get better at taking pictures at the same time. So get this app, get out your iPhone and take a new picture every day.