If you’ve taken a look at the AppStore recently, you may have noticed that the top paid app is a little game from Ozzy developers Firemint. Yes, Flight Control is a top title, and with hoards of people heading abroad for summer sun, it seems quite appropriate to take a look if you haven’t already done so.
I greeted the launch of the AppStore with great excitement and expectation, especially since a version of Monkey Ball was to be released that very same day. I was however disappointed with the iPhone version of Monkey Ball, and outlined my reasons in my review. Despite pretty graphics, over-sensitive controls made the gameplay non-existent. In addition, other games that grabbed my interest also disappointed with poor controls and use of the iPhone’s accelerometer.
Spore Origins was better than I thought, with finer control over movement, but I found the gameplay rather shallow. Disappointment once again.
A couple of weeks ago, I found a gem of a game, and refreshingly, it didn’t use the accelerometer, and the touch screen interface was implemented perfectly. Not only this, but it was fun to play, addictive, and graphically reminiscent of SNES games from an era of games that I loved. That game is Fieldrunners, currently standing at Number 12 in the top paid apps in the App Store. With an average score of 5 stars from 199 reviewers, it’s obviously got it’s followers, and I’m one of them.
It’s been a busy old month, and with so much time working, I’m going to share some of the things that have interested me during October.
Just the other day, I managed to take a screenshot on my iPhone, and only realised when I browsed to my Camera Roll and saw the home screen.
Super Monkey Ball was one of my favourite games on the Gamecube, combining great character design and fun. Whilst the likes of Marble Madness never appealed to me, Monkey Ball seemed to get it just right. So, when I heard that a version was in development for the iPhone, I was extremely excited, particularly because the iPhone’s accelerometer suited the gameplay so well.
The little icons associated with a web page or site, favicons, have been around for a while now, and most sites (including this one) have one associated with them.
Now the iPhone is with us, and Apple has introduced a similar concept with its ‘webclip’ icon, a little icon that is shown on your the iPhone’s screen allowing quick and easy access to your site.
In this brief tutorial, I’ll explain how you can create your own webclip icon and have it on your iPhone in minutes.
I was extremely excited about the Worldwide Developer Conference 2008, and so headed off to macrumors.com for a live feed of Steve Jobs’ keynote.
After a rather slow build-up, the almost inevitable announcement from Jobs that the 3G iteration of the iPhone was made. And so, there must follow an end to the enormous amount of speculation in blogs and forums about the features of the second generation iPhone.
With an inevitability almost matching that of a self-service checkout announcing ‘unexpected item in bagging area’, there has been an iPhone price-cut in the UK. Whilst my post about iPhone predictions wasn’t the greatest prediction of all time, a price-cut is almost equally unwelcome.
The iPhone was launched in the UK a few months ago, and whilst waiting for my current contract to expire, I began wondering whether it was the device for me. Much has been written about it, and despite Steve Jobs’ ‘class-leading’ tag, it has its detractors, such as this guy.
Since that post was written, O2 have increased the basic, £35 ($70) tariff to include 600 minutes and 500 texts, but most of the other points are well made. I had been spoilt with a very good camera on my Sony Ericsson K800i, and truth be told, the iPhone’s camera is vastly inferior, but in so many other areas, it trounces over it wholeheartedly.
For me, the relatively poor camera and lack of 3G were (and still are) issues, but everything else is so well-designed, feels so right, that you forgive it’s drawbacks. The iPhone is a fantastic device, and I’m very happy that I’ve purchased one.
I was thinking of waiting for an improved second-generation device. Perhaps it will feature an improved camera, with flash, with video recording, and 3G support.
Obviously, I couldn’t wait, and went straight ahead and bought one, but you know what? Now that I have, you can bet that a second-generation model is going to be released real soon.