iPhone Hard Reset

Recently my friends iPhone completely stopped responding. The screen was completely black, it wouldn't take a charge, and I couldn't turn it on or off. I had no idea what the issue was. My first though is maybe it had gone dead or something was defective, however I didn't want to believe that to be the issue. So I searched the problem on Google. I came across multiple Apple support threads in which people suggested a "hard reset" of the device. A hard reset, for those who don't know, is a way to force a device to restart if it is frozen. To do this with the iPhone, you have to hold the power button and the home button at the same time for 10 seconds. After doing so the iPhone restarted and booted as it normally would, thus fixing the problem. I am not quite sure what caused my friends iPhone to do this, but this fixed it. If you ever have that issue make sure to try a hard reset before you get on the phone with Apple.

~Dave

Apple Announcement Roundup Part 1/3

As a precursor, it did take me a day to fully understand a majority of the things announced at WWDC '11.

iOS 5

 As expected, iOS 5 was announced at WWDC, bringing a slew of new features to the boards. Apple did exactly what was speculated, and revamped the entire notification system. When I say revamped, I mean they just copied Android. If you have ever used an Android device, you know that all the events on your device are stored at the top in the drop down menu. Any time you receive a message, it can be read on the drop down menu. Tapping on it takes you to the application (messages, mail, etc.). The difference between the iPhone and iPad version though is the iPhone version has weather and stocks, which is odd because you would think with the larger screen the iPad would get the same, if not more. 

In addition, Apple introduced iMessages. Essentially, this is Black Berry Messaging for iDevices. If you own an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can message another iDevice owner over wifi or 3G. And it is free of SMS since iPod users don't have SMS. This means that, hypothetically, if all your friends had iDevices, you could own an iPhone and message them with out having to pay for a SMS data plan. Also, when you first send a text to someone, your device will check and see if the number you are texting is an iDevice with iMessages. If it is, your send button will turn blue, and your contact for that person will update so you know that he/she owns an iDevice. If not, the send button is green, and nothing is updated in the contacts.

Apple didn't stop there though, they went further with the new Reminders application. Reminders is a simple little to-do list application. It allows you to add to-dos, check them off, and update them. They are also synced with Outlook, iCal, and iCloud (which will be talked about later). You can even set locations for each to-do, so you know where you have to go to get the reminder done.

Apple also jumped on the social networking trend by adding full Twitter integration into iOS 5. You can add as many accounts as you want, and it fully integrated into the new messaging system, as well as all the applications. This makes it easy to tweet photos, information, and more at the tap of a screen. You can also add your location if you want. 

But wait, there's more! Apple has added the ability to take a picture from your lock screen. This is suppose to save the user time when getting his/her camera ready. However, as far as I can tell this circumvents the reason you have a lock screen. If you activate the camera, it unlocks the device, therefore undoing the purpose of having the lock screen, which is to keep your device locked. A nifty addition they added to the camera was the ability to take pictures by pressing the volume buttons. This is suppose to make it easier to take pictures, as before the only way was to tap on the screen. Another feature added was minimal ways to edit your pictures. You can crop, and remove read eye from with the application.

Post PC Activation.

Other additions include the ability to use Reader in Safari, and the ability to utilize the new Reading List within Safari. Reading list allows you to add a page to a list which you can then "read later". Plus, there is also the ability to activate your device without having to connect to iTunes. As it is now said, "We live in a post PC world, where not everyone owns a PC." For this reason, you can now activate your device out the box, and have it ready to go in minutes without having to sync and connect to iTunes. Also, there was the addition of rich text formatting for mail, wireless mirroring for iPads to TV, Wireless syncing, and a Game Center update which allows pictures to be added to your friends, as well as in app game purchases.

This post is part of a three part update so that all the parts of the event can be covered. 

~Dave

White iPhone Extravaganza

Thicker white iphone 4

Last thursday Apple quietly unveiled the White iPhone 4 on their website. This phone was due out with the release of the iPhone 4 last year, but never went on sale. It was seen through out the internet on different sites, rumored to never be release. There was fake versions, mods, things you could do to your iPhone 4 to make it white. There was no given reason by Apple as to why the White iPhone was never released on time, but there was a statement made by Steve Wozniak about it. He had bought parts to mod his iPhone 4 and made it white. He said the parts made taking pictures with the phone difficult as the flash turn the picture a little too bright. Whether or not this is the reason is still unknown. In addition, it has come into the light that the White iPhone is slightly thicker then the iPhone 4. You may not see this as a big deal, but other sites like Engadget brought up a good point. When you change the size of the phone, you produce a big problem for case makers. Case makers now have to produce cases for both a White iPhone on AT&T as well as on Verizon. That is in addition to the two different types of cases they had to make before. That means case makers will have to make four different cases, which can be costly. This is very unlike Apple to have an abnormality with the sizing of their products. Apple has always prided itself on perfection and size, among other things. As of now, there has been no statement as to why this is. I have a feeling it will be touched on in June during WWDC 2011.

~Dave

Rumor Confirmed

The Wall Street Journal confirmed yesterday that Apple will be releasing the white version of the iPhone 4 this summer. The phone had been delayed for almost 10 months because of "manufacturing problems". Although this was never specified as to what the problem was, Steve Wozniak state in an interview that his white case mod had an effect on the camera while using flash. If that is the case, then Apple has found a work around. Something else to note is the fact that it is the iPhone 4 getting the white version this summer, not some other iPhone. This would help thwart the rumor that there is a new iPhone being released this summer. Besides the fact that Apple made it quite clear there would be iOS 5 announced later this year, that does not stop people from thinking that a new iPhone will be released. If you are in the market for a new phone, and want a white one, wait a little longer and you will get it. There is no announcement yet on which carriers will be receiving the new white version, but it is assumed both AT&T and Verizon will get it. 

~Dave

Kindle Books

Books can be expensive, especially when they are teach something. In my case, the books I am looking at purchasing are about $20 each. Not the type of money you just want to toss around. The thing is, I would like to buy the books for both my iPhone, and Mac, Kindle app, as well as a physical copy. Now, the kindle copies are good because you only have to buy it once and use it on all the devices. However, I don't seen anyway to buy the physical copy too without buying the kindle copy. This is a disappointment as I would like to only have to buy each book once. I find this sort of a greedy system which Amazon has set up. I wouldn't mind if this was for a book that is $1, but two books that are $20 each is quite a lot. If I had to pay for both kindle distribution and physical copies, I could end up paying a whopping $80. So now I must figure out if there is a way to only pay once.

~Dave

iPhone 4 360 Video Lense

  It is very rare that a product so inventive come along for the iPhone. A majority of a time, it is apps or features that make the news. This product on kickstarter.com allows you to simply attach a camera to your iPhone lens. The camera then responds to touch gestures on the phone's screen, allowing it to pan a full 360. As you can see from the video, there are many great uses for this product. What make it even better? The ability to re-watch your video in full 360 degree mode. That allows you to pan around in the video you took. Plus, the app is free. If you wish to donate to the cause, you can. Check out the GoPano Micro Kickstarter Page. This great product is already passed the pledge amount, but it is never to late to get in on the pre-release action.

~Dave

Wireless iPhone Charger

Wi.u is not just any old iPhone charging kit. This is a wireless iPhone charging kit, meaning there is not need to connect wires to the charger while charging. Simply place it down on the Wi.u pad and let it charge. The device is made for iPhone 3G, 3GS, and the iPhone 4. What is even better you might ask? Well , that would be the application that comes with the charging kit. The application allows you to set the charger to charger at certain times of the day, when your battery percent reaches a certain level, or when ever you wish. You can even set up a weekly schedule.

Although the Wi.u is a concept design, by pledging some money you can make it a reality. In addition, when you pledge money towards the Wi.u, you are essentially reserving yourself one. I think this is a great product, and if I had the money I would back it. The only problem that I could see arising is the constant need to remove your iphone from the case to sync it. Not that this is a big deal, but it can get annoying after a while.

~Dave

iOS 4.3 is Out Leaving Verizon iPhone Behind

Yesterday iOS 4.3 was released from Apple ahead of schedule. The firmware update for the portable devices was suppose to come out March 11th. It includes the fixes for AirPlay and also the faster load times for Safari. This is all fine and dandy, except for the fact that the Verizon iPhone was left out. There is no statement from Apple regarding why this happened, but it would seem that it has. The Verizon iPhone has firmware 4.2.6 loaded on it, which came with the Personal Mobile Hotspot. This, in itself, is interesting because the Personal Mobile Hotspot was the big update which was included in iOS 4.3.

Since the Verizon iPhone started off with a slight head start, it may lead it to the phone running a different firmware. In other words, there might be two sets of firmware made. One would be made for the GSM iPhone and the other for the CDMA iPhone. Although this is annoying, it would make some sense. The phones are different because of their carriers, and the Verizon one was running a modified version of 4.2 when it was released. How long the Verizon iPhone customers will have to wait for the firmware update is unknown. In fact, there has not been any word of whether they will receive the update or not. I am guessing we will have to wait until June to find out unless Apple states otherwise. June, for those of you who don't know, is usually when the iPhone refresh happens.

~Dave

Carrier Update

Note: This is not the actual image of my iPhone,
this is just a picture with a copy of the message I receive  

It isn't often that I don't know what my iPhone is doing. I am usually pretty good about knowing what is coming out. Recently I got a message like the on in the image. Although I wasn't sure what it was, I said update anyway. Just remember, don't ever update unless you know what you are suppose to get. Anyway so I looked into this a little. It turns out that in addition to your iPhone's firmware, there is also firmware from your carrier. This message pops up to let you know that you can update your carriers firmware. It would be nice if it told me exactly what the update contained. I only said yes because it was carrier related. If it were related to the actual device, like device firmware, I would have waited until I got home so I could find out more about the firmware. It is too bad Verizon doesn't post any where, at least that I know of, for their customers to read what comes with the update.

Maybe, in the future, I can find out what this means before I update. With the hopes of a better iOS notification system in the future, it may be easier to find out more about the update before updating.

~Dave

How Will Others Respond?

With an Apple event right around the corner, it is interesting to think about what other companies will say and do after the event. If the rumors hold true, tomorrow's even will get a new iPad witha camera, and possibly the next iPhone. The iPhone may or may not have a sliding keyboard and a larger screen. In addition, Apple will most likely boast about its new OS Lion, hitting store shelves this summer. So what does this do for the competition? For one thing, Android is working on its OS known as "Honeycomb", which boasts many nice features the iPad doesn't have, such as a much nice multi tasking system. Then there Motorola who just announced the Xoom, the product known as the "iPad Killer". They may have beaten Apple to the camera, but Apple has beaten them in price. There is of course the HTC Thunderbolt, which is the first LTE phone on the Verizon network, can that out do the next iPhone. That one is unclear. And then we get to Microsoft, who, only two three years ago, released Windows 7. Windows 7 received its first service pack this past week. To put that in prospective, XP had three service packs before Vista, and Snow Leopard has 6 big updates. So would that mean Windows 7 is here to stay for a while, or will Microsoft jump ahead and announce Windows 8? Sure they have said it is in the works, but does that mean they know what to do? For all we know that could be a PR statement just put out to satisfy customers.
Remember, almost everything Apple has done in the past couple of years has forced the industry to try and keep up. What ever move they make tomorrow will pretty much dictate what the year will be like in terms of technology.

~Dave

iPhone Game Review: Phoenix

iPhone Game Review: Phoenix

Price: $0.99

Version: 1.1.2

  

  Phoenix is a game where you aim to kill as many enemies as possible without dying. As you progress you will gain weapon power ups, super power ups, rings, and sometimes health. The game itself reminds me of the flash game Raiden X. However, it is a stripped down version of Raiden X which runs on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
 The game is fast and requires precision movement to keep your ship from dying. Though sometimes I have found it almost impossible not to get hit by projectiles. You play as a ship, seen in the picture to the top left, and you are trying to keep yourself alive from the oncoming attack. There a multiple types of enemies, each of which require a specific way to kill them. While playing, you control your ship with your finger. You can hold down anywhere on the screen to move your ship around. My only gripe with that is many times my finger ends up covering the ship; thus, I take damage because I can't judge where the enemy projectiles are in relation to my ship. This could easily be remedied by giving more options to control the ship with. For example, placing buttons along each side of the screen which you can then press to move your ship left, righ, up, or down. Another remedy would be accelerometer movement. By that I mean the ship moves when you tilt the game.

This is a quick edit to show what I meant by adding buttons. Note: Those buttons are not actually in game

  Overall the game looks fantastic and is a blast to play. There are five levels of difficulty to choose from, each one posing a greater challenge for the player. Plus, there are leaderboards so you can share your score with the world. One thing I would add is a sixth level of difficulty, where the ship does not constantly fire. As of now, while you are playing, the ship is constantly firing. This sixth level would make the player fire when needed and cause the game to become more challenging. It is not a big gripe, but definitely something which would enhance the game in my opinion.

  Though it may come as a turn off to some people, this game does not have multiplayer at all. I find the game fun without multiplayer, and don't see it as a necessity. However, if the company were to add multiplayer I would hope it be something well thought out. If it were me adding the multiplayer, here is what I would do. First, I would allow it to be over wifi so you can play with someone on your GameCenter friends list. Next, the game mode would be a score battle. However, each player would take turns. Here is the fun part, I would make it so one player would send the enemy ships to destroy the other player, while the other player tries to get the highest score. Then, when the other player dies, they switch places and the second player tries to aim for a high score. Again, this is just my thoughts. As I said before the game is great without multiplayer.

Boss battles and explosions! What could be better?

  For $0.99, this is a great game. I highly recommend it to people who like top down shooters. Minus the gripes, this game is still great to play. This game has great graphics, good gameplay, and is a challenge. It will definitely keep you busy for quite a while.

~Dave 

iPad 2 Event Next Week

 Earlier this week a note was sent out to many media site from Apple. Unfortunately, I didn't get one, but thanks to the internet I can see what it looks like. In fact, I have a picture right here.

Tada! Nice note isn't it?

It would seem that Apple has invited people to come see the next iPad launch. It has become known around the web as iPad 2. So far, there is speculation of quite a few new things. First, there is rumored to be a new and improved speaker slot for when the user is not wearing headphones. Next, it is almost confirmed that there will be a front and back facing camera. This would allow Facetime chats between the iPad and the Macbooks, iPad and the iPhone, or both. Seeing as Apple just released Facetime 1.0 for their new Macbooks, I am going to guess that is what it will be used for. There is also an unknown port on one of the sides. How is this known? Well there was a next gen case floating around, and it showed an open slot. The slot has been rumored for an SD card, thus expanding the memory of the iPad 2. It is also rumored to be a sideways docking connector, but that is unlikely. I personally am hoping this port would be used with the new Thunderbolt technology Apple Released in their new line of Macbooks. This would make syncing the iPad 2 a lot faster.

Leaked specs of the new speakers.

Hopefully Apple add most of these features to the new iPad. There was rumor of a better screen, but a recent source told Mac Rumors that won't be happening. The source, according to Mac Rumors, is a very reliable source and has been right about most Apple launches. 

This event comes right after the announcement of the new Macbooks this past week. Usually Apple will wave the new Macbooks in everyones face at the press announcement, saying how great they are and how they "fit right into the Mac family". Guess it is time to wait it out and see what the announcement brings.

~Dave

Mophie Doesn't Lie

Image from Mophie's Website

When I went to check my email yesterday, I was very surprised to find an email from Mophie. At the same time, I was overjoyed upon seeing the email. I actually didn't think that Mophie would follow through with my case issue. I was wrong, and I have to apologize to Mophie for every doubting them. The email stated they had shipped my replacement top for my iPhone case. This replacement will allow easier access to the sound off button. For those of you who don't know what happened, you can read the story here.
 This shows what great customer service this company has, and I would be willing to do business with them again. This is also a great example of not giving up. If you try hard enough, you can solve your problems and achieve success. Whether it comes in the form of a piece of a case, or in some other form, you still have achieved your goal.
 According to UPS, the package should arrive at my house in a day. This will be just in time for the weekend. Thanks Mophie!

~Dave

Choosing a Screen Protecter

  I find it very important to protect the surface of my iPhone screen. Like my iPod touch, I wish to keep the screen free of scratches, finger prints, and dust. So how do you choose a screen protector? Well, the first thing I look at is price. Is it worth shelling out a large sum of money for a screen protector? In my opinion, you should pay what you see fit. For example, anything more then $15 is not worth it for me. If I am paying more then $15, then I should just go buy a case that encompasses the entire phone. Next thing you want to look at is the quality. Is it a reputable brand? Does it have a good track record? When I bought my iPhone screen protector, I bought the same set which I bought for my iPod Touch. This say, I was buying from a company I knew would do a good job.
  After looking through the previous items, you want to make sure to read the packaging. You do not want to buy a screen protector which will leave a stick residue on your screen. The protector I choose, for example, sticks to my screen with a static cling. This makes it easy to remove if there were any issues. Finally, you want to go online, and in stores, and ask about the product your considering. Make sure it is really what you think it is. Get the input from others who may have owned the item at one point. Did they have any issues? If so what were they? Was it really as good as it says it is? If you get an overwhelming response of positive feedback, then you can rest assure you are buying a good product.
  I personally chose the Power Support HD Anti-Glare Film which I find to be the best product to suite my needs. Other options for me were the screen protectors made by Zagg. I would have chosen Zagg, but since I had never use them before I wasn't sure I wanted to make the switch. Some people complain that the screen protector I choose ruins picture quality. I don't see this as a big deal. You either deal with the slight reduction, or don't buy the protector and put your investment at risk. I can tell you that there is no loss in sensitivity of the screen, nor is there any issue with price, or wireless coverage. One of these screen protectors lasted 3 years on my iPod Touch, and the packaging comes with two! This is another great reason why I made the purchase, because I knew it would last.


~Dave

The Search Yielded Nothing

After searching through every electronics store, my friend and I could not find him a good case. Radioshack, Apple, even Verizon didn't have an inexpensive case for his price range. This is just plain stupid in my opinion. If someone shells out $200 for a phone, the company should at least provide them with cases for any price range. My friend decided, after all this searching, that he will just go with the Ballistics case he wanted originally. The only issue is he may have to wait a few weeks for that to release. Plus, he doesn't want to carry his phone with him now because he has no case. I can't let him not use his phone for weeks on end. As I type this, I am currently looking for a DIY solution (do it yourself). Maybe, if we can make a simple case that will protect his phone temporarily, then he can use it.

Well, no matter what we find, we are sure to have something to use. Worst comes to worst we will actually have to wait the two weeks for the Ballistics case. Still, makes me angry beyond belief there is no cheap solution. Once again, if you know of a cheap case we can pick up in stores, please post a comment about it!

~Dave

A Friend Needs a Case

  At the moment I am stumped. I know someone who also just received the Verizon iPhone, but he needs a case. He insist he won't use the phone until he gets one out of fear of dropping the phone. I don't blame him, I probably would do the same. However, here is the issue. The cost of just a cheap plastic case is $30, and he refuses to pay that much for plastic. He has been eyeing the cases made by Ballistic, but they are not yet for sale. So now he has now run into an issue. What is a cheap case he can pick up in stores which will protect his phone until Ballistics starts to ship? The important thing is that it encompasses the entire phone. His price point, if he were to get a case at the moment, is $10. He doesn't want to spend a lot because what ever case he picks up will be a temporary one. So I ask you, my readers, if you can suggest any good, durable, and cheap, cases. If you have a suggestion, please leave a comment below.

~Dave

Apple Tried to Crack Down

Many people with an idevice use it normally. However, there are some who jailbreak it. Although I have decided not to this to my iPhone, I did do it to my iPod Touch. Jailbreaking has been deemed a way to void your warranty if done to your device. Yet, restoring your device will restore your warrant if you are still within your warranty period.
Anyway, many who jailbreak their idevice found a slight problem earlier this. Upon opening up the iBooks application, they found they could not read their purchased books. It turns out that Apple had left a verification script in there that was actually false. When I say false, it is designed to be rejected by iOS. However, the jailbreak went so far that it passed. Having passed, the script triggered a safety measure within the application. This made the application not allow users to read their books.
Although this temporarily stunned most users, it was quickly fixed by the jailbreaking community. Everything has returned to normal, and people can return to using their device without a problem. As a note, I would like to say that this article in no ways is telling you to jailbreak your device. It is simply a news tid bit.

~Dave

And Just Like That Rumors Arise

It hasn't been even a week that I have had my iPhone, and already rumors are surfacing about the next generation of iPhones. The most prominent rumor is there will be an iPhone "Nano". This rumored device is supposedly two thirds the size of the current iPhone, and will retail off contract for $200. This means that on contract, this phone could cost only $100. Other rumors claim that Apple is working on the iPhone 5, but this time there are two different versions. One version could include a slide out keyboard, while the other would be the standard iPhone 5 with slight changes under the hood.
When I was deciding to purchase my iPhone, I took into consideration the fact that I would be behind the curve in just a couple months. What people don't understand is when you deal with Apple, you never own the most current things. Doesn't matter when you buy, you will be phased out in either 6 months or a year. So what do all these rumors mean? Well nothing yet. The rumors don't tend to mean anything until pictures get leaked. An example of this would be the iPad 2. There have been leaked photos of possible cases, along with redesigned speakers and a screen. When those leaks came out, they incorporated everything I knew would be there. It is no surprise to me that the iPad 2 would have a front and back facing camera. The speakers being better, along with a better screen, was also foreseeable.
All this is coming out just months before Apple's next announcement. It will be interesting to see what actually comes out. Keep an eye out for any more rumors!

~Dave

My iPhone Has Arrived

 After almost a week long wait, my iPhone has finally come. There was so much that went into getting this phone, is hard to explain the exuberance I felt when it finally arrived. Out of the box, the phone was very simple to setup. All I was required to do was plug it into iTunes. The phone then activated and connected to the network. My only gripe with that was my family had ordered two phones, and neither of them were labeled. I ended up activating the other phone by accident instead of activating my own. After your phone connects to the network, you fill out a registration form, accept the terms and condition, and then proceed syncing your device. Syncing my device took quite a while because of the amount of apps I had. After the first sync I went through and organized my Apps into folders. This first organization was preliminary, as I plan on going through again and make the categories even more specific. This will help me in the long run when it comes to finding games.
This phone is one that is easy to use, but hard to master. One of my favorite discoveries while going through the settings was the "Simple Passcode" option. I guess my old iPod Touch did not support this option.

Above: The option "Simple Passcode" has been turned off.

  Most people don't know this option exist. I brought this up because many people keep the simple passcode on, and this makes it easier for people to guess your lock code. If you keep it off, you can make a nice long password. 

  Another thing I did while I was setting up my phone is I connected to the wireless I have at my house. This allows me to use my faster internet, instead of using Verizon's 3G service. This helps save you bandwidth on your phone plan. There have been incident with other users, in which they went over 2 GB of downloads and Verizon cut their bandwidth. Essentially, to keep the network fast, Verizon will slow you down the next month if you go over 2 GB in one month. It is smart, but still annoying for the end user.

  One of the interesting things about iOS which I noticed is every application you open automatically goes into multitasking. Although many would say this is a good thing, I would disagree. The multitasking kills battery life if you have too many applications open. There are people out there who tend to not track their multitasking, and have their batteries get drained fairly fast. Because of this I am constantly closing applications which are multitasking. It is not a huge deal, but it is just an extra step that must be taken to ensure maximum usage comes from this phone. 

iOS Multitasking

  There are so many things left for me to explore on, and with, this phone. I have been behind the curve with the iOS system every since they dropped support for the 1st generation iPod Touch. Now I have the most recent system, and I am slightly overwhelmed. Things like Game Center are a big addition, it is like Xbox Live for iPhone, only you don't have to pay for playing online. There are also many newer games which I can now play because they are supported by this device. All of this is very exciting and I plan on playing around with it a lot in the years to come.

~Dave

Loading Up on Apps

With my new iPhone arriving tomorrow, I have been browsing the App Store constantly looking for worth while apps. I have also been reading reviews and watching videos of each apps before buying. Below is what my search has yielded. Only time will tell if these apps were worth the price.

  Canabalt ($5, on sale for $2.99): 
  Canabalt is one of those games that just never gets old. The object of the game is to get your little running man as far as you can with out him falling to his death. You must jump over ledges, chairs, and boxes to keep going. However, sometimes you must use those boxes and chairs to slow you down, as you may be going to fast. The game is fun, and addictive. Plus I have played it before, so I know it was a good buy. If you have Google Chrome, you can try Canabalt for free from the Chome Web Store and see what it is like.

Archetype ($0.99):

  Archetype is an online shooter for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and even the iPad. The game is an online multiplayer game, which utilizes many game mods such as Capture the Flag and Team Deathmatch.  I am yet to play this game, but from the pictures it looks amazing. There are leaderboards, DLC, ranks and more.  There is also a storyline mode for those who don't have access to wifi/3G, or if you just don't like playing online.  The game also boasts online matches up to 5 on 5. That is pretty amazing for an iPhone game, so I am really looking forward to playing this on.

Osmos ($2.99):

Osmos originated on the PC. The game is far from an intense shoot 'em up. If anything, the game is a methodical game which you play to calm yourself. You are a little bubble, and your goal is to join with the other little bubbles. However, there are big red bubbles which attempt to attack and pop you. It may not sound like much, but the game is pretty challenging from what I remember playing on the PC version. What adds to the challenge is as you move you lose some of your bubbles. This keeps you moving in order to collect bigger bubbles. The more you collect, the more you grow in size. When you are big enough, you can actually absorb those big nasty red bubbles. When you need to relax, this is probably one of the best games to pick up and play.

Street Fighter IV ($4.99):

I have never actually played the Street Fighter franchise, but this game happened to be on sale when I got it. It was $0.99, so I decided it was worth a shot.  The objective is to K.O your opponent before they K.O you. Each character has his/her perks, but each one also has weaknesses.  The game moves fast, and you have to have quick reaction times. There is in game DLC,  most of which consist of costume packs. The game does support multiplayer, but only over  bluetooth. That in itself is a slight disappointment, but you can't complain because at least there is multiplayer.

Trainyard ($2.99, currently on sale for $0.99):

 This game was actually recommended to me by a friend of mine. He claims that it will keep you busy for hours on end. He has logged 50+ hours into the game, so I am guessing it might just be addictive. The object of the game is to layout train tracks, allowing different color trains to reach the box of the same color. There are all sorts of different ways to layout the tracks, and you must time everything perfectly so that none of the trains crash. There is even a color blind challenge mode. That must be hard. With over 100 different challenges, and 50 bonus challenges, this game is sure to keep me busy for a while.

Find My iPhone (Free):

After reading about a man who actually lost his iPhone, and used this application to find it, I was inclined to pick it up. However, there is a catch which I found. To use this app successfully you must own another iOS device that was made in the last two years (ex an iPad, iPod Touch  2G, iPhone 3G). Sure, you could ask someone on the street to borrow theirs, but it is unlikely they will lend it to you. The way the application works is as followed. First, you setup the item you wish to keep track of,  let's say an iPhone. You must log into the application with your Apple ID, then set up the device so that it is linked to the application. In the event that you lose the device, you can use this app on another iOS device to located your lost one. Simply sign in with your Apple ID and you will be able to find it. You can even display a message on the phones screen to let the person know how to contact you. The best part, you can remotely lock your device, or even wipe it clean of  all data. The only way this app could be better is if there was a desktop application for it.

So that is it. I picked up quite a few games, and one useful application. All I can say is that I hope I enjoy using all of them. Do you have an application which you think is useful or worth getting? If so feel free to leave a comment stating the application.

~Dave