iPod Touch

Backup and restore app data, clear caches and more with Icon Tool

What do you get when you take a jailbreak tweak that can clear an app's notification badges, and cross it with one that can clear its cache, backup and restore its data, and more? Easy, Icon Tool.

Icon Tool is a new tweak by developer ioshack that offers up all of the above-mentioned options in one easy to access menu. Simply put your device into wiggle mode, and triple tap on an app icon...

Take better low-light panoramic pictures with LLBPano

I'm a big fan of the Panorama capture feature that was added in iOS 6. I'd like to be able to use it while holding my iPhone in landscape mode, but other than that I think Apple did a great job with it.

It doesn't always work very well in low-light conditions though. And that's where the jailbreak tweak LLBPano comes in. It enables Low-light mode on the iPhone 5 when taking panoramic photos...

Duke Nukem II smashes its way onto your iPhone and iPad

As promised, Interceptor Entertainment and 3D Realms today launched Duke Nukem II for the iPhone and iPad on the App Store. The legendary game has made it to Apple's mobile platform as part of its 20th anniversary. Generation Y readers will remember that the original Duke Nukem II had been released way back in 1993 for Microsoft’s DOS.

It was then followed by Duke Nukem 3D in 1996, a Nintendo Game Boy Color port in 1999 and Duke Nukem Forever in 2011. The iOS version is an enhanced port of the original, which means souped up VGA graphics, a new soundtrack, online leaderboards and more. If you've enjoyed the original release, you'll be delighted to know that all of the 32 original levels have made it to the iOS version...

Meet Mittens, Disney’s new physics-based puzzler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhVMXjD3oXM

Who would have thought Disney Interactive would ever produce a smash hit for the iPhone? Seemingly against all odds, that's exactly what the company has accomplished with its charming puzzler, Where's My Water? (free, $0.99 universal). The game knocked Rovio's Angry Birds off the top spot on the App Store's list of paid apps just 24 hours following its release and ratcheted up a million downloads in its first month of release, enough to score an Apple Design Award for iPhone apps.

Where's My Water? was also Apple's 25 billionth app download and was featured in a free download promotion. Disney, of course, wasted no time building a merchandising business around the game. But that was 2012. Now in 2013, Disney is looking to replicate its success with a brand new physics-based puzzler involving kittens and aptly named Mittens. Have a look at the official trailer and jump past the fold for additional info...

How to embed Vine clips in web pages

Twitter's Vine is fine for random sharing of six-second videos and today they issued an interesting new update promising to make embedding own or someone else's clips easy as a pie. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

The new version won't let you just grab an embed code in-app. For reasons beyond our comprehension, the software sends you to a special web page where the embed code can be created.

It's not the end of the world, but the solution is cumbersome and inelegant, though it works. To start injecting those beautiful Vines into your blog posts, web pages, email newsletters or pretty much into any other other type of HTML content, just follow our quick guide and you should be fine...

Final Fantasy V hits the App Store

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XO9N_18mE4

Twenty years following its original release on SNES, Square Enix's Final Fantasy V has landed on the iPhone and iPad. The game invites you travel the lands commanding a band of four in search for the mysterious crystals that control the four elements - earth, water, fire and wind - thereby bringing peace and prosperity to the world.

These things have lost their power and are on the verge of destruction so you must find a way to restore their power. The iOS version also includes The Sealed Temple from the 2006 release, the Tetsuya Nomura-designed optional boss Enuo and an all-new soundtrack...

Twitterrific iOS app finally gains push alerts, but…

...but you probably won't be able to take advantage of them because native Push Notifications are still in beta so developer Iconofactory had to limit the much-needed feature to the first thousand users, as determined on a first-come, first-served basis.

The system is very similar to the reservation tickets in the Mailbox app. Luckily, I was able to reserve my spot on time so my copy of Twitterrific version 5.2 has native push alerts turned on.

Tucked away under the app's settings, push alerts can be turned on and off individually for direct messages, replies, mentions, favorites, retweets and follows.

Another handy treat: each of these can be color-coded so you get a better idea of a particular notification's importance after it appears on your screen, especially handy when these alerts start cropping up on your Lock screen...

Quick review: Handy Photo for iPhone and iPad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNx7rUjOdeM

Sebastien and I share a passion for iPhone photography so when he asked me to take a look at Handy Photo the other day, I was overly excited. So what does this new photography app does that your favorite software can't? How about AntiCrop and TouchRetouch, two interesting features that work a lot like content-aware fill in Photoshop?

Or, perhaps you'll be impressed by the ability to perform complex touch ups and work with 36-megapixel images (not a typo)? The promo video is a bit cheesy and heavy on superlatives, but it does a nice job highlighting key features of this handy program. I've included more info and a few screenies after the break...

Bluelounge releases Mika, one stand to rule them all

It is almost redundant for me to begin another article expressing my love affair with quality iOS device stands, but, for the sake of tradition, allow my introduction sentence to lend credence to my lust. Bluelounge announced today, their newest product, the Mika, which is a simple stand for iPad, but strong enough to hold a full size MacBook. Thanks to a buddy at Bluelounge, I was able to get my hands on one for review prior to the announcement...

Apple envisions multitouch gestures on blank screens

Apple Tuesday was granted an intriguing multitouch patent with a wrinkle: no screen display necessary. Instead of glancing down at your iPod during a workout to adjust the volume or skip past an annoying track, you simply touch the screen. The patent, first filed in 2009, opens up a number of potential benefits, including extending battery life.

Rather than your iPod nano's screen displaying controls such as sliders, Apple envisions devices accepting multitouch user input even when a screen itself is blank. Not only would this open the potential for eliminating hardware controls, but the technology may also become part of everyday devices ranging from your iPhone, iWatch or even iGlasses, should Apple decide to compete with Google...

MechWarrior explodes onto iPhone

Growing up in the 90's provided the extreme advantage of spending late nights in front of Mech Warrior 2. Aside from King's Quest V, Mech Warrior 2 is one of the few PC games I ever completed from start to finish. When we were contacted by Personae Studios to review their newest build of MechWarrior: Tactical Command, I had no hesitations to agree. Moving from a FPS console and desktop option to RTS, the iOS Mech Warrior experience will be appreciated by MechWarrior fans, old and new...

XCOM: Enemy Unknown iOS port due this summer, Mac build launches April 24

If you're fond of complex strategy games that go past the Command & Conquer series (which, in my personal opinion, doesn't look and play well on iPhones and iPads), you should jump with joy on news that developer Firaxis and publisher 2K Games are porting XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the popular turn-based tactical role-playing strategy, to Apple's platform.

The game has some pretty ardent following and a port for iOS was officially announced at a PAX East panel on this past Saturday. What's in it for you and why should you care? Go past the fold more some more tidbits...