2008: Yearly Archive

Holidaily Double Forum Reviews: SimCity for the iPhone

[Confession: I've been a little slow in getting the usual twice-weekly Forum Reviews up, and cjvitek and msbaylor, as if sensing my slacktivity level, put their production into turbo mode. So what's an editor to do? Come up with an angle, of course! So, from now until we catch up -- or I mess up again -- we'll be presenting lots more Forum Reviews. How many more? Well, we're calling it our Holidaily Double, so howzat for a clue? - Rene]

SimCity Forum Review by msbaylor. (Visit the thread for video and more pics. For more Forum Reviews see the TiPb iPhone App Store Forum!

My main concern before getting this application was – would it be able to handle all the animations on the screen, or would it just be an expensive crashing app? After a brief setup and I selected the tutorial, I got a white screen. I thought this was a glitch (First thought – “NO, Not the white-screen-of-death!”), but after about 15 or 20 seconds, the main Sim-screen came up and walked me through the controls and what everything meant. That alone was very nice to have – major kudos for the help explanations.

Read on for the review, after the jump!

Read the rest of this entry »

Official: Apple is Secret Licensee of PowerVR!

Way back on Sept. 7 we linked to an item that conjectured Apple might be the secret licensee of PowerVR technology. Well, the conjecture is now confirmed according to MacRumors:

Apple is “subscribing for” 8,200,000 new shares of Imagination Technologies Group which means Apple will have an ownership interest of 3.6% in the company. The press release also reveals that Apple is a licensee of Imagination’s technology.

What does this mean for the iPhone? That Apple is likely Spinning Custom “PA Semi” ARM Chipset for Next Gen iPhone!

Konami Gets in on iPhone Gaming Action: Metal Gear Solid, Frogger, Silent Hill, and DDR!

It seems to be a trend now a days, some of the top dog game developers are jumping in the ring to push some of their hotter titles onto iPhone. Electronic Arts has just released one of their most popular titles, Sim City. Now enter Konami.

Konami has just dropped a bomb on iPhone gaming with the announcement of 4 titles.

  1. Dance Dance Revolution S Lite : From Late December, 2008 in Japan and North America
  2. Frogger : From Late December, 2008 in Japan, North America, and Europe
  3. Silent Hill The Escape : From Late December,2008 in Japan, North America, and Europe
  4. Metal Gear Solid Touch : Spring, 2009 in Japan, North America, and Europe

“Konami Mobile offers gamers nothing but the best by developing high quality, big-name titles with unparalleled mobile entertainment experiences,” said Anthony Borquez, Vice President of Konami Mobile and Online. “We are extremely excited to be working with Apple to introduce North American consumers with popular franchises that are compatible with the iPhone and iPod’s advanced technologies.”

Any gamers out there getting excited yet?

3 Ways to (Try and) Get the iPhone to Work with Linux

[I've mentioned about my crazy Ubuntu using IT friend Anthony Casella a few times before. Several months ago he made the switch from Treo to the iPhone 3G and -- surprise surprise -- he's loving it! Well, almost all of it. Problem is, Apple doesn't make an iTunes for Linux. So what's an open source geek to do? Tinker, of course! Here's Antony's first article on (trying to) use the iPhone with Linux. Are you trying to do the same? If so, let us know what you're doing in the comments! - Rene]

It’s a fabulously well-known fact that Apple has no interest in bringing support for it’s highly popular iPhone to Linux. Perhaps I can go as far as to say is that Linux is to Apple as curd is to eyeball. None the less I have an affinity for the iPhone in spite of the abhorrent treatment I receive being a Linux user. Here are a few ways that you can try to live with this Shakespeareanesque tragedy until such time that Apple sees the error in its ways (ya, right)… after the jump!

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MobileMe Syncs Contacts, Captures Criminals

Outage prone PIM push service by day, crime busting super sync utility at night? Seems that way. According to TUAW, MobileMe whipped off its mild-mannered glasses and swooped down and caught an iPhone 3G thief!

While at the dry cleaner one day, Rob’s iPhone was stolen. He immediately chalked it up as gone forever, and proceeded to purchase a brand new one that same evening. It was the next day when unfamiliar contacts began to appear on the new phone. The (not-too-bright) thief was unwittingly supplying him with names and phone numbers of his or her closest friends, via the magic of MobileMe synchronization from the stolen phone to the cloud and eventually to his new phone. “It didn’t take long for me to realize that MobileMe was leading me right to the thief!” wrote Rob.

What’s next, saving the world from Steve Ballmer Lex Luthor?

Round Robin: Treo Jennifer Video Previews the iPhone 3G

[This is an official Smartphone Experts Round Robin post! Every day you reply here, you're automatically entered for a chance to win an iPhone 3G, Case-Mate Naked Case, and Motorola H9 Bluetooth Headset! Full contest rules here!]

TreoCentral’s Jennifer has our iPhone 3G this week. She gave away her original iPhone 2G to her mom and got herself an iPod Touch, but the lure of the 3G actually encouraged her to get herself a brand new iPhone this year. How does this year’s only full touch Round Robin smartphone stack up for the lady who’s used to touch and a front facing Qwerty?

Check out her video and be sure to leave a comment in her TreoCentral thread for a chance to win a Palm Treo Pro as well! You can also comment on this very post, and in Jennifer’s thread on the iPhone 3G in TiPb’s own forums, or on my thread over on CrackBerry.com for even more chances to win.

Quick App: SimCity for iPhone

Concerned that you may not be wasting absolutely as much time as possible on your iPhone? Afraid you’re not draining the battery as quickly as possible? Desperate to prove the iPhone really is a stop-and-use casual gaming monster to rival the DS and PSP? EA’s got you covered with SimCity, the grandfather of them all.

Ready, set, build… for $9.99 at the iTunes App Store.

And when you get back to reality, let us know what you think of SimCity for the iPhone!

(Thanks to Stephen and Sol for sending this in!)

Apps for Less: Raging Thunder and BeejiveIM

Well here are two apps to pick up just in time for the holidays. Raging Thunder and BeejiveIM have just dropped in price! [iTunes links]

Raging Thunder is a game you’ve probably heard of before here at TiPb. It dropped in price back in October and once again it has dropped ever further to a deal you should not pass up, $1.99 for a winter blow out sale!

Ok, this next app really needs no introduction, BeejiveIM. From now until Saturday December 27th you can pick this great IM client up for $12.99, saving a few bucks off the regular priced app. The developers also tell us to pay attention to a large update (V2.0) with some changes and improvements coming soon!

Hopefully you will take advantage of these sales! We will continue to keep an eye out for some more sales for the holiday!

Review: Jabra BT2070 Bluetooth Headset

I have reviewed a few headsets here at TiPb (Apple’s headset, Jawbone and Jawbone 2) and the latest is the Jabra BT2070. This is a slick looking headset! The BT2070 is not just for good looks, it is light and small. The iPhone Blog Store has this headset for $49.95

Read on for the review, after the jump! Read the rest of this entry »

Today on the Forums: Crackberry Kevin’s iPhone 3G Review, TreoCentral’s Jennifer Needs Your Help, Jailbreak Forums, 2008 TiPb Award Nominations

Well the forums are still hopping, Round Robin is still going strong, and we have some good threads for you all to check out!

Crackberry Kevin just finished his week with a iPhone 3G and what do you think he had to say about it? Check out Kevin’s review and be sure to share your thoughts about it with us. I tried my best to get through to him, but that is definitely not an easy task. After all, Kevin is the #1 Crackberry addict…

Next up one of our sister sites needs your help. Jennifer of Treocentral is spending the week away from her Treo/Centro and is now using an iPhone 3G. Be sure to drop in her thread and lend her a hand. That thread can be found here: Round Robin: Help Treocentral Jennifer with iPhone 3G.

With all the jailbreak and unlock talk going on lately the iPhone Jailbreak Central is being flooded with all sorts of questions. Jump in there to see if you can help any of our members and if you have a question be sure to post it so someone can help you out!

Last but not least, TiPb would like to remind you all to be sure to check out the 2008 TiPb Award Nominations! Check out these threads after the break! Read the rest of this entry »