Gurk III – the 8-bit RPG comes to iOS

The Gurk series of games are silly, fun, dungeon crawls that, until now, were only available on Android-based devices. Fans of pixelated role-play adventures can now scour the lands to fight monsters, loot gold, and gain experience on their iPhone.

Gurk III – the 8-bit RPG recently launched in the iOS App Store with just as many pixels as its predecessor, but with more spells, quests, and monsters than ever before…

Viz review: how to quickly create clean and simple charts from your iPhone

I used to hold down a “square” job, where I looked at charts and diagrams all day. It wasn’t nearly as exiting as writing app reviews, but it paid the bills. After spending all day with my head in an Excel program, the last thing I would want to do in my free time was to create another pie chart. However, sometimes they are the best way to get your point across.

Viz takes all of the work out of chart creation by making them for you. No more adding formulas to cells or dragging arrows around on a spreadsheet. All you need is some labels and numbers…

IHS iSuppli: production of iPad mini Retina display on track for fall launch

While it seems all but certain that Apple is going to launch a redesigned fifth gen iPad this fall, the fate of the iPad mini isn't quite so clear. Reports thus far have been split between the tablet having and not having a Retina display.

Well this morning we're adding another one to the 'having' pile. Well-known market research firm IHS iSuppli reports that the new mini will indeed have a high resolution screen, and that production volumes are on par with 2012...

iDoorCam shows you who’s at your door, even when you’re not home

The introduction of smartphones and tablets has really helped bring 'connected home' technology mainstream. Actions that used to require a large, expensive in-home setup, can now be done with an iPhone, an app, and a relatively cheap accessory.

And the new iDoorCam is the perfect example of this. The camera-equipped, smart doorbell connects to your home Wi-Fi network to stream video of your visitors to all of your connected iOS gadgets, regardless of whether you're at home or not...

Apple updates App Review guidelines with new rules for kids apps

Apple has updated its App Store Review Guidelines this week, introducing a number of new and revised rules for developers. Perhaps the most notable change is the addition of a new section to the Guidelines on children's applications.

The move likely has something to do with Apple's recent push to get iPads into classrooms. The company recently revised its iTunes terms of service to allow children under the age of 13 to set up educational iTunes accounts...

Apple’s ebook damages trial tentatively scheduled for May 2014

US District Court Judge Denise Cote sent out an order on Tuesday, made public last night, calling for all parties involved in Apple's e-book case to prepare for a damages trial set for May 2014. Apple could wind up owing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

Back in June, Judge Cote found the Cupertino company guilty of conspiring with 5 major book publishers to raise the price of ebooks. At the time of the ruling, the court hadn't set dates for any of the follow-up hearings. But yesterday's order helps fill in the blanks...

Plants vs. Zombies 2 now available for download

At this point, it seems like we've been waiting on 'Plants vs. Zombies 2' for forever now. First previewed back in March of this year, the sequel to PopCap's popular tower defense game was supposed to launch in July, but was delayed until 'late summer.'

Then a few weeks ago, the title was soft-launched in two countries: Australia and New Zealand, with no explanation when we would see the title stateside. But never fear, the wait is over. 'Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time' just hit App Stores worldwide...

Samsung posts bond with ITC, suggesting it continues to infringe on Apple patents

Last Friday, Samsung was dealt a huge blow as the ITC ruled that some of the company's mobile products infringe on two of Apple's patents. As a result of the ruling, those products will be banned from US import next month unless President Obama steps in.

Following the decision, Samsung released a statement saying that the order wouldn't affect product availability in the United States, indicating that it had developed a workaround. But the fact that it posted bond with the ITC today tells a much different story...

Google searches, now with flights, reservations, package delivery info and more

Regardless of the devices you happen to favor, chances are high you're using Google Search, the default search engine on iOS gadgets and Mac notebooks and desktops.

It's been awhile since we covered Google Search improvements here on iDB and I didn't want to pass on the opportunity to fill you in on today's pretty important round of enhancements to the good ol' Google Search.

Folks using Google Now on iOS on Android have been loving the way the feature automatically serves relevant information pertaining to their flights, reservations, appointments and more. Now all of that is available in standard Google Search on desktop and mobile devices, right in your browser...

Resellers say the time is ripe to unload your old iPhone

We've long anticipated Apple unveiling a new iPhone this fall, we just weren't sure exactly when it would do it. Then over the weekend, a report surfaced claiming the company was planning an event for September 10, and it's since been all but confirmed.

For the folks looking to sell their old models, that gives you a little less than a month to do so before the next iPhone is introduced. By then, your current-model iPhone will be worth a lot less than it is now—in fact, its value is already swiftly depreciating...

Samsung to unveil Galaxy Gear smartwatch on September 4

Perhaps looking to spoil Apple's September 10 iPhone 5S/5C party, Samsung of South Korea is reportedly set to make a major wearables-focused announcement six days ahead of Apple's press conference. The South Korean conglomerate last week sent out invites for its August 4 Unpacked 2013 Episode 2 event to launch the Galaxy Note III.

As it turns out, the firm may have another surprise up its sleeve come August 4: a Galaxy-branded smartwatch designed to act as a companion device for its Galaxy smartphones and tablets...

Flipboard updated with GIF support, new ‘Top Stories,’ and more

Good news Flipboard users, the aggregating social/news magazine has updated its mobile apps this afternoon with some handy improvements. The update brings the app to version 2.0.5, and it includes a new 'Top Stories' section, GIF support, and more.

With version 2.0.5, users can now scan the day's Top Stories by genre, which are separated into News, Tech, Business and Sports sections. This is useful in that if you subscribe to multiple RSS feeds, you can easily bypass the stuff that doesn't interest you...