News: iTunes Store drops eight 5G iPod Games, updates Zuma

Following an extended period that saw Apple re-release some of its fifth-generation iPod Games in a format compatible with third-generation iPod nanos and iPod classics, the company today added Zuma to its master list of nano- and classic-ready iPod Games, and removed a section of the iTunes Store that linked to eight other titles. The titles are: Bejeweled iQuiz Lost Mahjong Mini Golf Musika Royal Solitaire Vortex Two of these titles, iQuiz and Vortex,…

Solid Snake equips with an iPod

Hot on the heals of the GTA IV iFruit parody comes another console gaming nod to Cupertino, though this time with considerably less snark. The upcoming PS3 presumptive blockbuster Metal Gear Solid 4 will apparently feature some interesting equipment to augment Solid Snake's already impressive arsenal: a 5th generation 30GB iPod. The French video game site JEUXFRANCE has high resolutions images (front and back). It now remains to be seen if Snake can execute his signature stealth kills with an iPod headset garrote.[via iLounge]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Article: iPod Gems: Seven New Click Wheel iPod Games, Reviewed

After a relatively slow 2008 for Click Wheel iPod games, Apple and several third-party developers have ended the year with a flurry of new releases. Today, we’re looking briefly at a collection of seven new games, three of which are from Gameloft, and one each from Electronic Arts, Hudson Soft, Sandlot, and even Apple itself. All of these games except for one sell for the standard fixed Click Wheel iPod game price of $5. Asphalt 4: As Good As…

Appletell review - Mint 220 Wireless Digital Music System

Section: Mac + Computers, Peripherals, Features, Review Provides: High fidelity wireless audio from your computer, iPod audio/charging Developer: Digital Signature, Inc. Minimum Requirements: USB port for wireless streaming from computer, Dock compatible iPod for direct connection/charging, headphone/line-out for connection of other audio devices Retail Price: $179.99 Availability: Out now Reviewing speaker systems is a bit tricky for me for two reasons. First, I know little about the science of sound. Numbers and fancy symbols and awkward abbreviations mean as much to me now as they did when I wasn’t paying attention in junior high science class. I’ll display all those numbers and abbreviations later in this review, but it’s up to you to decipher them. Second, although I can tell you whether something sounds good and why, I can’t tell you how good it sounds compared to the competition. At the electronics stores, I can sample four or five systems next to each other, determine what I like best, and make my purchase. Here, I’ve just got one unit standing alone, doing its thing, and I have to judge it on that alone. I can tell you, though, that the Mint 220 wireless speaker system, does its thing very, very well. This bookshelf system from Digital Signature, Inc. measures about 12” long, 7” deep and 4.3” high. The gloss black finish looks great sitting amongst your books, CDs or DVDs on a bookshelf, but I was quite happy with it resting on my computer desk, as well. The two 3.5” full-range speakers frame an iPod dock that accommodates most Dock compatible iPods, and charges them when they’re hooked up. The benefit here, obviously, is that you can play your iPod directly through the speakers, bypassing the need for a computer. With this set-up, the included remote gives you some ability to control the iPod. You can pause, play, stop, fast forward and rewind, but you can’t cycle through your music. This isn’t a problem if you’re on your own near the system, but if the Mint 220 is supplying the music for a party or other such event, you’ll want to have your playlist set up ahead of time. The press kit that came with my review unit stated that specific iPod adapters are available for the Mint 220’s universal iPod dock, but there were none in nor mentioned on the box, and there’s nothing about them on the website. Perhaps they mean that Apple’s adapters fit, but I didn’t have any around to test this theory. Without them, the Dock connector is the only support for your iPod, so be careful. On the plus side, the Mint 220’s dock was wide enough that I could connect my iPod classic without having to first remove it from the case. Even with the iPod connected, you can use the remote to cycle through the speaker system’s three inputs: iPod, line in and wireless. If you’re near the system and don’t want to bother with the remote, there’s an input button next to the power button on the left of the dock (volume buttons are on the right). Using the line in option, you can connect any device with a line out or headphone jack. This is great for iPods that aren’t Dock compatible, but I actually tested it with my Nintendo DS. Man. What a difference that makes beyond the DS’s built-in speakers. Impressed by this, I ran an 1/8” patch chord from my iPod’s headphone jack to the Mint 220 to play the iPod games, and was surprised by the sound there, too. It’s maybe not practical if you have your speaker system sitting anywhere other than on a coffee table or computer desk, but it does show off the Mint 220’s capabilities to handle bass-heavy gaming audio. This can also be illustrated when using the wireless connection. To stream any audio from your Mac to the Mint 220 is a simple matter of plugging the included USB Transmitter into a USB port, opening Sound in your System Preferences, and selecting Mint Wireless USB Audio in the Output tab. You’ll have to switch this back if you want to go back to your Mac’s speakers or headphones, but that’s no big deal. The wireless USB unit has a range of 45 feet (I didn’t test this beyond about 20) and an operating frequency of 2.4 GHz unlicensed ISM band. Now, how does all of this sound? Full. When I first set it up at the office and started to turn it up, we were all pretty impressed with how well the sound filled up the room. It’s a little heavy on the high end, but the included EQ (turned on and off via the remote, and not adjustable) helped. Plus, the sound seemed to get better the louder we turned it up. This makes the system perfect for placement in large rooms where you’ll have plenty of activity, but not so practical for office settings. This is fine, though, because you wouldn’t want to use the Mint 220 for computer audio; the speakers aren’t detachable, after all, so they’d both have to rest to the right or left of your monitor, keeping the audio off center. Best to set it up away from the listener, allowing the audio to just fill up the room. Now, I promised audio specifications. Here you go: 2 channel class-D high efficiency amplifier Total 30W RMS at 8 ohm Digital equalization Two 3.5” full range speakers Frequency range: 60 Hz – 26 KHz Happy now? Overall, I’m quite pleased with the Mint 220 Digital Speaker System. It gets great sound at higher volumes, and the ability to both stream audio wirelessly from your computer and to completely bypass the computer when playing from your iPod is great. I think the price is a bit high (I’d like to see the unit sell for around $149), but you can get the same unit minus the wireless capabilities for only $119.99 with the Mint 200. Are there better sounding speaker systems out there? Maybe, but when you jack up the volume of the Mint 220 at your next house party, neither you nor your guests will be thinking about them. Appletell Rating: Buy Mint 220 Wireless Digital Music System Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh/iPhone software update round-up - September 15, 2008

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod Accessories, Cases, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, SoftwareMacintosh and iPhone software updates and announcements for September 15, 2008: CardScan, a leading provider of contact management systems, today announced the availability of CardScan Executive for Mac, comprising a contact management software and business card scanner. CardScan for Mac software features automatic synchronization to Address Book, allowing users to keep data the same across devices and applications. The company also announced that all CardScan Executive Version 8 systems will include software for both Windows and Mac. The assignment is daunting. The “thinnest” and “funnest” iPods ever created. But the challenges are nothing new to the designers at Speck Product’s innovation lab in Palo Alto, California. Fast on the heels of last week’s new iPod announcement, the team is fiercely on task delivering fresh designs for the arrival of at least five new iPod cases between now and the upcoming holiday season. Just days after the official release of the new iPod touch and iPod nano, MacCover offers the matching protection covers on their site. The covers are made in 3mm thick, shock absorbing felt in 9 colours, and are made to fit the new models exactly. There is also a D-ring attached for keys or personal gadgets. 21 Pro: Blackjack is the ideal blackjack game for every player, novice and expert alike. With life-like high-resolution graphics and authentic game play, 21 Pro provides a genuine casino experience. If you have never played or have been intimidated by sitting at a blackjack table, this is the perfect game to learn how to play. If you are an experienced player, and want to take your game to the next level, the 21 Pro’s card counting will help you fine tune your skills. Marware has announced its latest leather holster case for the Apple iPod touch 2G, the C.E.O. Premiere. The classic design offers textured, perforated leather, an ultra-slim belt clip and elegant contrast stitching. Providing a sleek, upscale look, the C.E.O. Premiere is a stylish premium hip case that works with both the new iPod touch 2G and the original touch. They’ve also announced the new executive flip-top leather case, the C.E.O. Flip Vue for the new iPod touch 2G. Designed to provide the perfect balance between all-around protection and easy access, the C.E.O. Flip Vue is a sleek, elegant holster case. The C.E.O. Flip Vue allows for all iPod touch functionality while providing elegant leather protection. And because two announcements in one day just isn’t enough, they’ve also released the C.E.O. Sleeve for the Apple iPod touch 2G. The C.E.O. Sleeve is a slim, attractive Nappa leather sleeve that combines elegant protection and quick access to the new iPod touch. This case is uniquely designed to appeal to the more discriminating, style-conscious wearer. The C.E.O Sleeve is a premium holster sleeve that works with the new iPod touch 2G and the original touch. Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. announced today that World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion for its award-winning subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), will arrive in stores on November 13 in North America, Europe, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Russia, and November 14 in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. The expansion will be available in Korea and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on November 18. Details regarding the launch of Wrath of the Lich King in mainland China will be announced at a later date. Plyxim, LLC. has announced the release of Exibia 1.3, their broadcast scheduling application for Mac OS X. Exibia allows clients in a multi-user, multi-platform environment to upload and schedule QuickTime-compatible videos to a centrally-located server. Media Atelier has released GrandTotal 1.0, its invoicing application for the Mac OS X Leopard platform. GrandTotal is ideal for freelancers, small- to mid-sized companies, and any organization that needs to generate personalized, invoices, estimates and account statements. GrandTotal sports an easy to use, sophisticated interface that will have you up and running in minutes. A wide range of word processing and layout tools makes creating handsome, customizable documents simple and quick. Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Preview: GTS World Racing for iPhone / iPod touch

digg_url = 'http://www.tuaw.com/2008/08/08/preview-gts-world-racing-for-iphone-ipod-touch/'; If there's one company in the world that is in the business of keeping people happy, it's Astraware. They're a UK-based development firm that excels in writing games for handheld devices. In the past, they've published games like Bejeweled 2, Cubis, and Zuma for Palm and Windows Mobile, and now they're entering the iPhone market with a splash. GTS World Racing is an arcade-style racing game licensed from Pazzazz Games that, like Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, uses the accelerometers in the iPhone / iPod touch for control. Tilting the iPhone left or right steers your car, tilting forward accelerates the car, and tilting back applies the brakes. The game provides 64 different track layouts, so you're not likely to get bored going around the same track again and again. There are 16 different worldwide locations for backdrops, as well as three different car types and four different levels of difficulty (I hate to admit that I'm still stuck at the "Easy" level...). You can also play your own music in the background if you tire of the built-in soundtrack.This post will be updated when GTS World Racing appears in the App Store at a US$7.99 price. In the interest of full disclosure, the author has had a long-term reviewing relationship with Astraware. Gallery: GTSWRRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments