Apps

Nintendo denies report of plans to release ‘mini games’ for mobile devices

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Japanese business newspaper Nikkei published a report yesterday suggesting that Nintendo is working on a smartphone app as part of an effort to market its games to users outside of its ecosystem. The report also claimed that the company is working on 'mini games' in the same light.

But according to Nintendo, that's not true—at least the last half of it. In an official statement today, the game-maker debunked the Nikkei article, stating that it doesn't have any plans to offer 'mini' or 'demo' games on smartphone and tablet platforms, at any point in the immediate future...

Rap Genius releases new iPhone app for understanding song lyrics

Cody Lee ∙ January 28, 2014

Rap Genius, the website dedicated to the annotation and interpretation of lyrics, poetry and other forms of text, has released a new mobile app for the iPhone. As you'd expect, it's essentially the major features of the site packaged in a native application.

On the surface, the app looks good. It's nice to see an app go against the grain with a darker theme, and the text and graphics seem sharp. And functionality-wise, it hits on all the big features such as the Shazam-like Genius Recognition Technology...

Google launches Chrome apps for iOS

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Just when you thought web apps were officially dead on mobile, the Internet giant Google has expanded the reach of its ecosystem by announcing Tuesday that it's bringing Chrome web applications to iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. Previously, Chrome apps were accessible via desktop computers only.

Conventional wisdom has it that the main advantage of web apps is that they're written using standard web technologies - HTML5, CSS and Javascript.

In turn, web apps run without major issues on any computing platform with a standards-compliant web browser. I know what you must be thinking, 'Apple offered web app development for the iPhone and it didn't work out for them', right?

Google thought of that, too: an early developer preview of its tool allows developers to actually compile their Chrome web apps as native applications which can be easily distributed through Apple's App Store and Google's own Play store...

Ember update brings new Annotation tools, Screenshot Auto-Import

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 28, 2018

Realmac Software's image organization and syncing software, Ember, has received a nice little update on the iOS side, bringing several new annotation tools and the ability to automatically import screenshots. Both these features are available now in the free iPhone and iPad app as in-app purchases.

On the Mac side, Ember has been updated with 50+ tweaks, enhancements and bug fixes. The update is available now and is free in the Mac App Store for existing users. Jump past the fold for the full reveal...

Apple promotes Top Valentine’s Gifts, says iPad is the way to your valentine’s heart

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 9, 2016

It's end of January which can only mean one thing: retailers are gearing up for the upcoming Valentine's Day and Apple is no exception. Now available on the Online Apple Store and through the Apple Store shopping app for the iPhone and iPad (free in the App Store), the new 'Top Valentine's Gifts' section has just launched sporting an Apple-currated selection of both its own products and third-party accessories for your significant other...

Sequential for iPad review: mix dubstep loops in real time

Lory Gil ∙ January 28, 2014

I love music. I am a big fan of all genres. Whether its orchestral music from the 1950s, 1980s Goth, thrash metal, or hardcore punk, I’ll give just about anything a spin at least once. I also love music-based apps, especially the ones that let you create music.

Sequential for iPad is a music app that lets you create dance-friendly sampling loops that can be added to tracks you are already working on in other programs. Don’t be intimidated. You don’t have to know how to write music to have fun. You just have to feel the beat…

Apple says iOS 7 is now installed on 80% of compatible devices

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 15, 2018

Apple has updated its App Store support page for developers this week to reflect new information regarding iOS 7 adoption. According to the company’s usage data, the new OS is running on 80% of iOS devices accessing the App Store.

That’s just a small jump from December of last year, when it was reported that iOS 7 adoption had hit 78%, but Apple said on its earnings call just a few moments ago that it's enough to make iOS 7 the most popular OS in the world...

Google posts Chrome iOS update with translation feature, data compression and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 27, 2014

Two weeks ago, Google announced it would be releasing a new Chrome version with a built-in translation feature and data compression engine capable of reducing cellular data usage by up to fifty percent. Today, a free Chrome update has just gone live in the App Store.

It brings the aforementioned Translate and Reduce Data Usage features, along with an improved New Tab Page to make searching faster and easier and the usual assortment of stability fixes and security improvements...

KORG launches ‘Gadget’ app – one synthesizer to rule them all

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

For those musicians out there that use the iPad for creating music with synthesizers, you’ll be happy to know that KORG has just put two of their most popular apps on sale for half off to celebrate the launch of their newest title.

KORG Gadget is a 15-pedal synthesizer for the iPad that covers 15 different classic instrument and genre sounds from the music company. Yes, the price tag is high, but KORG geeks will tell you it is worth every cent. They may also tell you to shut up or they will hit you over the head with their PolySix. You gotta watch out for those rabid fans…

DOJ files first ever criminal charges against mobile app pirates

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

The US Department of Justice has long taken issue with large-scale copyright infringement. It's gone after pirates of various different kinds of content, including music and movies—who could forget the FBI raid on the home of Megaupload's Kim Dotcom.

But up until now, the DOJ has never gone after mobile app pirates. That changed this week, though, when it filed charges against 4 men behind Android app piracy websites Snappzmarket and Appbucket for conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement...

In Fear I Trust: this game is so scary you will leave the lights on

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 23, 2018

I guess I’ve recently discovered that horror games scare me… a lot. A few months ago, I reviewed Indigo Lake and had the same experience. There is something about playing a horror game with a first person point of view (POV) that just freaks me out.

In Fear I Trust is a horror game that puts you in the first person POV of a prisoner with no memory and no way out. It is a mix between a room escape (or, prison escape in this case) and a point-and-click mystery game. If you are like me, you ‘ll play this game with the lights on and the sound off…