The App Shelf for iPhone and iPod touch
Top Shelf Apps for week of July 27, 2010New apps added every Tuesday! |
|
Attention Developers!
Submit your review requests, promo codes, and tips.
Want a chance for your app to be reviewed or previewed? Want to give us exclusive info on your new or upcoming games?
Send info, media, and promo codes to
Reviews and Blog Archive
iPhone 4 Revealed… by Accident!
According to Gizmodo, they've had the fortune of stumbling across Apple's misfortune--a lost iPhone 4 prototype. Gizmodo seems convinced that this is the real deal. In fact, the article claims that Apple itself has admitted to losing the prototype and wants it back.
While the software remains inactive (Apple remotely killed the phone), Gizmodo was able to discern the following about the device's hardware:
- Thinner, sleeker design
- Front facing camera
- Flash camera on back
- Much higher resolution screen
- Noise cancelation microphone
- slightly heavier
- Larger battery (they opened the device)
- Split, metallic volume buttons
Here's a video sneak peak of the new device:
For full details, check out the Gizmodo coverage.
3 Easy Tricks to Get More out of Your iPad
If you've already found yourself dazzled by the elegance of the new Apple iPad, here are a few tricks to make the experience even better.
Trick #1: The 6-App Dock
Just like the iPhone and iPod Touch, the iPad only allows four apps in the dock, right? Wrong. Despite its appearance out of the box, Apple lets iPad make use of the extra on-screen dock space. Users can drag two extra apps into the dock for a total of six.
For those of you new to the device, you can move around your by simply touching and holding an app icon 2 seconds. Your apps will start to jiggle and are now free to be rearranged as you please!
Trick #2: Safari Bookmark Bar
If you use your iPad for fast and frequent web browsing, you'll love this trick. Safari Mobile has the option to add a bookmark bar just below the toolbar, just like on the desktop version. To turn it on, tap System Preferences, Safari, and toggle "Always Show Bookmarks Bar. " Next go back to Safari and save bookmarks of your most frequently traveled sites to the "Bookmarks Bar" folder. Now all your favorite sites are just a single tap away!
Trick #3: Night Viewing
If you've ever used iPad in the dark, either viewing websites or reading in iBooks, you've probably already learned that even on its dimmest setting, the iPad is incredibly bright. Trying to read a webpage in bed can illuminate half the room and wake up even a heavy sleeper.
If you find yourself in this situation, try this trick: Open your iPad System Preferences, select "General," "Accessibility," "Triple Click Home Button," and finally, "White on Black." Originally meant for users experiencing difficulty viewing the iPad's screen, this feature will invert the colors on your screen when you triple click the Home Button, making all your white backgrounds black and text white. This drastically reduces the illumination given off by the screen and makes reading iBooks, digital newspapers, magazines, and even websites easier on the eyes and less obtrusive to those around you. When you're done, just triple click the Home Button again, and return to normal viewing mode. Awesome!
iBooks App
Safari Mobile Website: Mashable.com
Quick Review: Let’s Golf HD (iPad)
Price: $4.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it
Replay Value: High
Pros:
Breathtaking scenery; simple but fun; currently the best golf game on the iPad.
Cons:
Casual mode maybe too easy; advanced mode too hard; unlocking customizable looks takes too long. There's also a bug in the app that sometimes causes the game to lose sound and a device restart is required to get it back. All that said, this is still a great game.
Lasting Appeal:
The game offers a decent amount of content with 4 unique courses, 63 holes, and four different golfers. The game offers hours of original gameplay, and if you enjoy the casual play, the app may find a permanent place on your device; however, after too much repetitive play might, players might find themselves memorizing the best approach to certain courses.
Bottom Line:
Let's Golf HD is without a doubt the best golf game currently available on iPad. Various elements, such as the game's cartoonish characters & simple club selection, may be initially off-putting for more serious golf-gamers, but the beautiful scenery and light-hearted approach make this an enjoyable and refreshing app for casual gameplay without completely eliminating the challenge for serious gamers.
Repurchase if you own iPhone version:
Maybe. Like many other iPhone to iPad ports, there's no new content here, but if you're dying for a golf game on your iPad and don't want to pixel double, Let's Golf HD is still your best bet.
Quick Review: Flight Control HD (iPad)
Price: $4.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it
Replay Value: Very High
Pros:
•Three new large maps specifically designed for iPad
•All the classic maps from iPhone version
•Several multiplayer modes, including bluetooth or split screen.
•“Safe” fast forward button
•Simple, addictive gameplay
Cons:
I can’t think of a single thing.
Bottom Line:
Flight Control HD is a line drawing, time management app. The original managed to hold the #1 Paid App slot on iTunes for several weeks. Flight Control HD is one of the few iPad Remakes that manages to completely set itself apart from the original. The larger screen space allow for significantly bigger maps, making it Flight Control HD a whole new game! If you’re a fan of the original, you’ll love the iPad version, too.
Repurchase if you own the iPhone Version?
Yes. 3 new large scale maps.
This Week on the Shelf
This week's shelf features some great apps for both iPhone and iPad. What the shelf doesn't point out, however, is that some of the non-universal iPad apps are also available in iPhone specific versions:
Warpgate (iPhone) -- $4.99
Cocoto Kart Online (iPhone) -- $2.99 // Lite
Diner Dash - the original (iPhone) -- $0.99 // Lite
Quick Review: N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance HD (iPad)
Price: $9.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it
Replay Value: Very High
Pros:
Stunning graphics; fully customizable UI; great gameplay; local and online multiplayer deathmatch.
Cons:
Default UI is awkward (customize it!); nothing new over iPhone version.
Bottom Line:
N.O.V.A. HD is a stunning FPS (first person shooter) for iPad. While the default controls make playing the app on iPad seem incredibly unwieldy, customizing the layout in the options menu makes all the difference. If you enjoy the genre, are a fan of X-Box’s Halo series, or just love multiplayer deathmatching, N.O.V.A. HD is highly recommended.
Repurchase if you own the iPhone Version?
Only if you play a lot of multiplayer; the larger screen makes the experience much more enjoyable.
Fieldrunners for iPad
Price: $7.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it
Replay Value: High
Pros: Great graphics; fun gameplay; price includes all 5 maps; perfect for iPad's large screen
Cons: If you already own it for iPhone, there's nothing new here, content-wise.
Bottom Line: Fieldrunners is one of the premiere tower defenses apps for iPhone OS. Without a doubt, iPad's large, high resolution screen offers the best Fieldrunners experience, but if you already own Fieldrunners for iPhone, it's probably not worth the $7.
Re-Purchase if you own iPhone version: No
Apple iPad Lands on the Shelf
It seemed impossible to surf the web, read the news, or watch TV this weekend without hearing about the Apple iPad. While many individuals reserved devices for pickup at Apple Retail Store, others found themselves waiting in long lines for the slim chance to get their hands on the device. Falling into the latter category, I had the wonderful opportunity of camping outside of a Best Buy for 10 hours to snag one of the 15 in-stock units for the site.
After nearly 48 hours of sleeplessness, the good news is that TheAppShelf.com will provide detailed coverage all things iPad, along with its continuing iPhone and iPod Touch coverage.
In the following weeks you can expect to find iPad app reviews and detailed write-ups of the new iPad that will attempt to define the nature of the device that Steve Jobs claims will fill the gap between Smartphone and laptop. Whether you’re onboard with Apple’s latest invention or think it’s a sinking ship, we hope you’ll enjoy the journey!
New iPad Apps - Netflix Streaming Video, ABC.com Full Episodes, and More!
It looks like the iPad is going to be bringing a slew of all new apps and content for Apple fans to drool over. AppShopper.com is starting to see dozens of new apps populate its iPad section. Just like the App Store, AppShopper showcases developer screenshots of the apps, and the content is looking spectacular.
The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, and Associated Press have all already launched their new iPad-specifc apps and they look stunning. As confirmed by Mac Rumors, a particularly interesting tidbit for Netflix subscribers is that Netflix appears to have launched a streaming video, “instant” view app.
It looks like there will be quite a bit of new and interesting content to move iPad in a direction that iPhone and iPod Touch haven’t yet managed to fill, including an ABC.com “full episode player,” some very impressive looking HD games, and some surprisingly useful utilities (especially for musicians). Unfortunately, we have yet to see that elusive Hulu app. If you want to keep an eye on the apps yourself, check out the iPad section at AppShopper.com.
Flash Review: Robot Rampage
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Disappointing
Replay Value: Medium Low
Pros: Phenomenal graphics & lots of smashing
Cons: Way too repetitive!
Bottom Line: Unfortunately the stellar graphics aren’t enough to offset the limited 90 seconds of fresh gameplay before this survival-style app becomes ridiculously repetitive.
Similar to the arcade classic, Rampage, Robot Rampage is a 2d side-scroller where players get to smash their way across countless city blocks as a giant, extraterrestrial robot bent on Earth’s total annihilation. Players can punch, stomp, and blast city buildings to rubble, all while crushing the futile attempts at resistance by the armed forces.
While I’m a fan of most Origin 8 titles, Robot Rampage is not one of them. Admittedly, the app has some initial appeal due to its beautiful graphics, fun sound effects, and natural penchant for senseless destruction. But once you get past the surface, the game quickly loses its initial luster. In fact, most players will experience everything Robot Rampage has to offer in the first 90 seconds or so. And with no upgrades, environment changes, or new surprises, the game becomes needlessly repetitive and boring.
Personally, I can’t recommend Robot Rampage even at its $0.99 price point because there’s such a large selection of apps with so much content available at the same price.