I love video games, which is convenient since I play a lot of them as I research my Game Centered column. Typically Game Centered focuses on breaking iOS-related game news and new releases, but in this special edition I'm going retro, with a Top 5 roundup of some of my old favorite iOS games. The following are enduring classics which still occupy precious space on my iDevices, and in my gamer’s heart.
iPad
Beach Hero Game Review: Fight Off An Infinite Invasion
By Eric Pankoke
Most of the time, I review a game because either I ask a developer if they want a review or because someone asks me to write a review. Occasionally, however, I just feel compelled to write a review on my own, usually because I simply can’t stop playing the game that I’m reviewing. Beach Hero (Free with IAP) is just such as case. I honestly probably wouldn’t have even given the game a second thought had I not coming across it while compiling a list for a different article; but ever since I first launched the game, I find myself spending more time with it than just about anything else on my device. As a result I decided it was time to share it with iPhone Life's readers.
Harrod's Upgrades iPhones, iPads, and Cases with Expensive Bling
By Daniel Rasmus
Since my recent trip to London, I've shared many travel tips. But this time I'm going to just let the following images speak for themselves. They come from the technology section of the upscale department store Harrod's. Look not only at the beauty of the crystals, diamonds, and gold plating, but at the prices associated with them. Keep in mind, a gold-plated iPhone 5s covered in diamonds becomes obsolete just as quickly as your basic model at AT&T or T-Mobile.
Which Glass Screen Protector Is Right For You?
By Tommy Ly
Glass screen protectors for mobile devices are becoming very popular, with a variety of manufacturers offering their own take on the product. I had the chance to try out three, each from different brands, and each brings something different to the table.
If you're a music lover or an iOS gamer, you already get this, but it's hard to appreciate the full scope and flavor of our media when relying solely on our iOS device's speakers. Even if the extent of your media consumption on your iPhone or iPad (or laptop or desktop) doesn't stray beyond watching movies and videos, you'll have to admit, the in-built speakers these gadgets come with don't necessarily broadcast the most stellar audio. For crystal clear, pristine sound reproduction we have to look to the world of headphones and external speakers. With that in mind I'm always on the lookout for great headphones and speakers to share with iPhone Lifers. This week we'll be taking a look at Skullcandy’s Crusher over-ear headphones ($99.99).
It's been a wild winter for many of us in the United States, to say the least! Now at long last the warm weather is here, and with the change of seasons (and summer vacation!), folks will be spending more time outdoors and on adventures with their tech toys in tow. Of course, it's a good idea to have a well-protected iPhone or iPad if you're bringing it along with you on you escapades, so I've rounded up some of the best rugged, heavy-duty cases to help you find the perfect protection for your valuable iDevice.
Gear Review: Nyne BASS Bluetooth Speaker
By Nate Adcock
The wireless speaker market is completely saturated, so its hard to know where to start when looking for a quality, yet affordable option that is rises above the sea of cheap Bluetooth speakers. I have listened to a metric ton of them, and the gold standard for streaming and quality to me is Sonos, but their products are not cheap, and do not include a simpler Bluetooth option. Nyne has a uniquely shaped line of Bluetooth 4.0 speakerphone devices that give the solid sound quality that approaches the Sonos level, but without the price (and WiFi fuss.)
Sennheiser has made quite the name for themselves when it comes to premium headphones. It’s almost common knowledge that their wired headphones are like the Porsches of the headphone world. That’s all well and good, but what about their Bluetooth headphones; how do they rank against other high quality Bluetooth headphones currently available? I got to spend some time with the Sennheiser MM 550-X over-ear Bluetooth travel headphones ($499.00), which are Sennheiser’s top-of-the-line pair of Bluetooth headphones. Read on to find out how they performed and how they stack up in an ever more competitive Bluetooth headphone category.
Getting iPad Mini ready for T-Mobile LTE
By Anonymous
While AT&T currently has the fastest wireless data speeds in Maine, and possibly the country, there are some serious limitations. Most significant for me is the coverage which quickly drops from 4G to EDGE to nothing once you leave Southern Maine. T-Mobile on the other hand has great coverage, even well off the beaten path, but as we all know currently has spotty data coverage. This brought me to consider that, T-Mobile is building out its Long Term Evolution LTE services and even Maine is primed to be getting in on LTE speed, soon, possibly in the next couple of months.
Freemium vs. Premium: Best and Worst Games in the App Store!
By Nate Adcock
We do enjoy the games at iPhone Life. What's not to love about having something like a kabillion titles to choose from?! So, we decided to run a series amongst the gamers here that highlight our favorites over the years (some of us been swiping, tapping, or joysticking since the 1970s), and expound a bit on our opinions about freemium, downloadable content (DLC), and regular old-school purchase models. Siva Om has regularly covered this area (and does a superb job) in his column, but the other iPhone Life gamers thought maybe we would each throw in our two cents as well. Here is mine...
There are a good many rugged, heavy-duty, protective cases on the market for our iDevices, and over the years I've tried out most of them. Again and again I am reminded that case maker Lifeproof consistently produces the most reliable, high-quality all-purpose protective case you can find. Not only do they manufacture some of the best waterproof iDevice cases on the market, they manage to do so while keeping their case designs in line with the Jobsian vision of a sleek, low-profile, and elegantly beautiful pocket computing device. Allowing full functionality and interactivity with your iDevice, the Lifeproof cases are, simply put, what the iPhone and iPad would look like, if Jobs had designed them to be shock proof, dirt proof, and liquid proof. No more, no less. Lifeproof just released their long anticipated line of cases for the iPad Air as well as the iPad mini. Continue reading to find out how these new cases deliver on their promise to provide total protection for life on the go.
Stabilize Shaky Vids with Emulsio
By Nate Adcock
Camera phone videos, particularly of outside activities, are often rolling and jerky enough to make one practically lose their lunch when viewing them, which is why a camera tripod is a great tool. You can't lug one everywhere however, and it's usually impractical for your iPhone. Apple has added software image stabilization into the iPhone, but there are limits to its effectiveness. You can save yourself and your loved ones some replay discomfort by adding a more robust video stabilizer app to your iPhone library. There are online tools available on sites like YouTube, but for a finer level of control, you might try Emulsio (free), which was just updated on February 24.
Review: ChargerLeash and Might Mic S
By Mike Riley
Big iPhone and iPad aftermarket items like cases and speakers garner considerable attention, but sometimes the small innovations can have a big impact. This entry takes a look at ChargerLeash and Might Mic S, two recently released accessories for the iOS platform that are worthy of closer examination.
The success of the freemium model is impossible to deny. Taking a look at the top grossing games in the App Store paints a clear picture. In 2013 all ten of the overall top grossing games were freemium titles. The highest grossing paid game, Minecraft ($6.99) only ranked 18th in overall top grossing games.
If you migrated to iOS gaming from a dedicated gaming device like XBox, Playstation, or even PCs then the freemium game model is most likely not that appealing. Likewise, if you came into iOS gaming as a veteran gamer of the 90s or early aughts, then overall the freemium game system is very likely viewed by you as a travesty.
And yet, this hotly debated new gaming modality is undeniably bringing in the big bucks, at least for certain developers and gaming houses. Enough game developers are making money exploiting the freemium model that the trend continues much to the dismay of what seems like the majority of dedicated gamers.
Let me start by saying, not all freemium games are bad. There are some notable titles that don't intentionally extort dollars from gamers. Freemium games rely on what has been referred to as the "friction point," the point in which a game has limited your progress and you either have to wait for your energy to recharge, pay more money to continue, or proceed to grind away at a lower, less challenging level while scraping credits together to gain a more competitive edge. The challenge for many freemium game developers is walking that line between frustrating the gamer enough that they are willing to throw down real-world money to advance and not frustrating the gamer so much that they put the game down and don't come back. Distimo released an interesting report in March 2013 showing just how profitable it is for developers to walk this line.
CES of THINGS: Low-Tech & No-Tech Surprises
By Todd Bernhard
It's easy to find high tech wonders at CES, but I have a particular affinity for items that are low tech or no tech... In other words, items that have no battery, no wires, and no chips but still manage to make our high tech lives better.
People always ask me what to get the person who has everything. My response? Something to hold it in! If you have tons of gadgets, as I do, you're always looking for the right bag, case, or container. Fortunately, CES was full of such gear.
The CES show floor this year was chock full of wondrous gear that will enhance your person or home. But to get a glimpse behind the curtain, you need to go off the beaten path, which usually leads me to a stop at Imagination Technologies. Though they downplay some of their A-list tech customers (like, for example, Apple), they always bring superb demonstrations of their latest core IP (like their Pure wireless speakers). Without some of that secret sauce, it is safe to say truly innovative consumer electronics is a tougher proposition. This year they did not disappoint, showing off some dazzling home-connected and wearable tech SoC prototype implementations that are surely destined to be found in much of our future gear.
Over the years I've had a strong love/hate relationship with the Infinity Blade series. It has been by turns, a highly rewarding, premium game experience and also a very disappointing one. My issues with the IB series go back to my experience with the very first Infinity Blade, which at one point refused to even open (using an iPhone 4 and iPad 2 at the time) for over six months (in fact, I was never able to resolve that issue before I moved on to IB II), to the present day’s scandal. The game series, for all of its amazing gameplay, strong storyline, and stellar graphics, seems to have been plagued with consistently recurring development problems, bugs, and glitches. But this latest fiasco takes the cake...
CES 2014: More Kick-Butt Audio Products at CES!
By Nate Adcock
There were too many cool audio whatevers at CES to name in a single post, but will give it a feeble shot. I admit I did not get to even a smidgin of the great tech demonstrations out there at the 2014 CES in Las Vegas. The show is just too massive. We walked for miles and miles to bring you at least a glimpse of some great stuff, but alas there was much we probably missed. Here is a round-up of some new audio products worthy of note from iHome, Zagg, Velodyne, Pioneer, Nyne, and more, all coming in 2014!
CES 2014 saw a slew of protective cases for the new iPad Air in all shapes, styles, and colors. Finding a case that stood out from the crowd was no easy task. After looking closely at what seemed like hundreds of cases, the Pelican Pro Vault ($99.95) emerged as one of best cases for the iPad Air, and certainly the best case for the Air if you are looking for rugged, heavy-duty protection.