The Iphone Blog

Archive for June, 2009

 A couple of weeks back I reviewed the NewerTech Universal Drive Adapter. While that solution works for both IDE and SATA drives, it only works over USB 2. I wanted something that was faster! Well NewerTech does make a faster device that’s actually a bit more elegant as well. It’s the NewerTech Voyager Q. This [...]
Go to Source

Id Software has released Doom Resurrection for the iPhone and iPod touch. It’s the first official release for the iPhone/iPod touch in the storied Doom franchise, which is now 16 year’s old and still running strong.

The $9.99 game is an “all-new chapter in the Doom saga,” says ID Software.

The first-person-shooter is based on 2005’s Doom 3, not the seminal Doom Classic, which runs on just about every gadget known to man, including the original iPod (if it’s already hacked to run Linux).

Unlike previous versions of Doom, the gameplay is not free flow. The character moves along a pre-determined path, blasting zombies and demons and dodging oncomong projectiles. Aiming is controlled by the iPhone;s accelerometer and reportedly works well.

“We built a completely new play style for this game,” says ID Software’s CTO John Carmack. “We have no worries that we’re going to do something utterly not fun.”

Carmack says he plans to release his port of Doom Classic to the iPhone and iPod in coming weeks.

Link to Doom Resurrection on the iTunes App Store.

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

Go to Source

UPDATE: The headline and photograph in this article have been updated to correctly state the standard agreed to by the handset makers referenced in the story.

Major cell phone handset makers including Apple, Nokia and Research in Motion (RIM) have agreed to back a European Union initiative to support standard device chargers that will charge any phone through a micro-USB port, according to a Reuters report Monday.

The agreement among 10 companies controlling 90% of the cell phone market in Europe calls for phones compatible with standard charging devices to be available in Europe beginning next year, according to EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen, who said, “People will [no longer] have to throw away their charger whenever they buy a new phone.”

At its inception, the agreement applies only to data-enabled smartphones, perhaps the fastest growing segment of the mobile handset market, and will affect only devices produced for use in Europe.

Verheugen hailed the agreement as a boon for consumers as well as the environment and estimated it will help reduce tons of eWaste generated annually by consumers.

Significant unanswered questions remain: what took them so long, and where is the rest of the world in this deal? Do device manufacturers have to be cajoled by regulatory bodies continent by continent to adopt a standard that should have been in place at least a decade ago?

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

Go to Source

Like Wolfenstein before it, Id Software’s Doom has been ported to just about every platform known to man. But Doom Resurrection is more than a port: it’s an all-new Doom game written expressly for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Indeed, whereas Id’s Wolfenstein 3D Classic merely shrunk the original down to iPhone size, Doom Resurrection offers eight new Doom 3-inspired levels (six set on Mars, the others in Hell).

Screenshots don't do it justice; Doom Resurrection looks tremendous.

However, don’t expect a traditional first-person shooter experience; Doom Resurrection runs on rails, meaning you don’t get to roam free throughout each level.

Instead, the game moves you from one encounter to the next; the challenge lies in aiming your target reticule (which is controlled by the accelerometer), blasting a familiar assortment of hellspawn, and ducking incoming fire via well-timed taps of the Dodge button. If a zombie manages to grab you, you have to shake your iPhone to get loose before he eats your brains.

In other words, Resurrection may look like Doom and sound like Doom, but it doesn’t play like Doom.

As it turns out, that’s a good thing. Touch screens and tilt sensors work well for certain types of games, but they’re no substitute for a mouse and keyboard or your garden-variety gamepad.

Consequently, in most iPhone-size FPS games, you’re battling the controls at the same time you’re battling demons. That’s a war I don’t care to wage.

In Doom Resurrection, however, you get to focus on aiming, reloading, and killing–all with a familiar arsenal of weapons (including the beloved BFG). While longtime Doom fans may feel a bit cheated by the rail system, the gameplay ultimately benefits from it.

In fact, Resurrection accomplishes its goal of feeling like a game that was built for the iPhone, not shoehorned into it. Whether or not that justifies the $9.99 price tag is up to you, but I think fans of either the genre or the seminal series will be pleased.

Go to Source

Most iPod/iPhone speaker docks come up short in the bass department. If you like your tunes thumpin’, I’ve got just the solution: Buy.com has the Philips Docking Entertainment System DC912 for $79.99 shipped. Normal price? $179.99.

Before I get into the details, I need to point out the big “but.” No, it’s not, “but there’s a rebate.” And, no, it’s not, “but it’s a refurb.” (It’s new.)

The DC912 is $79.99, but you need to pay with PayPal to get that price. For me that’s not an issue: I routinely sell stuff on eBay to fund my PayPal account, which I then use for stuff just like this.

If you don’t have an account, the dock will run you $109.99–still a pretty solid deal considering the list price.

So, what’s the big deal about the DC912? For starters, check the photo: It’s sweet-looking! Love that silvery flat-panel design. You can use the stand or mount the dock on a wall using an included bracket.

Cooler still, it comes with a standalone subwoofer. A wireless subwoofer. Combined with the dock, it churns out a seriously impressive 100 watts of audio power.

The unit also includes a remote, an FM tuner with 20 programmable presets, and an aux jack in case you want to connect a non-iPod player. It can even play MP3s and WMAs stored on USB drives and SD/MMC cards.

As you’ll discover in the above video review, CNET didn’t love the DC912′s audio quality. However, the user reviews on Amazon as well as Buy.com’s product page tell a different story: 4.5 stars out of 5 across the board. (Users tend to be less persnickety about audio quality than professional reviewers.)

A note to iPhone owners: You can use DC912, but you’ll have to switch to Airplane Mode to avoid interference.

My daughter is about to become the crazy-happy owner of a refurbished 8GB iPod Nano Touch ($179 from the Apple Store). Might just have to spring for one of these to go with it.

Go to Source

I love free stuff, and it seems like each day brings a wealth of new free goodies to the iPhone App Store. Here’s a look at five notable apps that won’t cost you a cent (at least for now–some are free only temporarily, so get ‘em while you can).

This free, sexist app explains the "20! Top Man Things Men Must Know."

• 20! Top Man Things Men Must Know If you can excuse the sexist, unwieldy title, you’ll find some undeniably useful information here: how to bandage a wound, perform basic CPR, fix a flat, and so on. (Note to developer: Why not call it 20 Top Things Everyone Should Know?)
• BlueSwap It’s not quite PalmPilot-style beaming, but it’s close. BlueSwap lets you swap contact information with other iPhone/iPod Touch users. Bluetooth makes it possible, meaning there’s no need to use some third-party social network. (I haven’t tried this yet, as I’m the only iPhone owner in the immediate vicinity, so if you’re able to put it to the test, drop a comment.)
• C.A.R. – Accident Report Nobody likes a fender-bender, but if you absolutely positively must have one, this app will help you manage the details. It’s similar to the iWrecked app I wrote about last month, but a little more robust.
• Droste Effect This is better seen than described, so I’ll just say that if you like eye candy, you’ll find this one visually tasty app. Really cool.
• Space Trader: Moon Madness If you like strategy games of the Lemonade Stand variety, which challenge you to make money rather than blast aliens, you’re sure to get a kick out of Space Trader. True to its name, it casts you as a moon-based commodities broker. Buy, sell, profit. Perfect for Ferengi wanna-bes.

OK, your turn: What fab freebies have you pulled from the App Store in recent days? Don’t keep ‘em to yourself–let your fellow iPhone users know about them in the comments!

Go to Source

(Credit: David Martin)

Reports of heat-related discolorations appearing on the white model of the iPhone 3GS are surfacing on the internet.

According to Wired.com’s Gadget Lab some white iPhones are getting so warm that their plastic cases are discoloring to pink or brown. The article continues with other examples and suggests that the issue could be related to faulty power-management software in iPhone OS 3.0.

Ben, an iPhone user in France, took this photo of an affected white iPhone.

(Credit: Le Journal du Geek via Wired.com)