Dragon’s Lair Swashbuckles its Way to the iPhone!

Dragon’s Lair [$4.99- iTunes link], the original laser-disc (wikipedia it!), fully cell-animated arcade adventure from the legendary Don Bluth is officially, nostalgically available for the iPhone and iPod touch.
If you weren’t there to experience Dragon’s Lair’s emergence onto the arcade scene in the wayback days of yore, it’s hard to explain the impact it made. Suffice it to say, if the iPhone version captures that kind of magic, every 30+ year old will download it on sight, and many younger folks might just fall in love with it as well.
It’s not Pac-Man or Street Fighter; it’s a very different type of gaming experience, so if you’ve been waiting for it, let us know how it translates, and if you’re trying it for the first time, let us know what you think!

I ♥ twitterkeys

Recently Twitter has redesigned its Micro Blogging Platform site. Along with that, the guy at the Next Web has created TwitterKeys. It is a browser bookmarklet that pulls up expressive characters for easy copy & paste of all those crazy Unicode symbols that people love to include in their emails and blog posts. The TwitterKeys are divided into 3 Pages. See the link below to add TwitterKeys to you Twitter. 

TwitterKeys | Part 1

TwitterKeys | Part 2

TwitterKeys | Part 3

Restore the old Facebook Layout

Recently Facebook has rolled out its new interface to all the Facebook users. But some of them finds the new design complicated and they find the new layout are not user friendly. But Sizlopedia has provided a great technique on how to restore back the old Facebook Layout. This technique will help for those who finds the new interface complicated. There are two method involves to restore the old interface. 

 

Method#1 involved two steps: 
 
1. Add the Developer application from here.
2. After adding that application, click the link below to get the old Facebook back.
    http://apps.new.facebook.com/?fbnew_opt_out=1

Method#2 involves making use of a Greasemonkey script which can be downloaded from here. For those of you who don’t know, Greasemonkey is a browser extension for Firefox that allows you to install custom scripts for enhanced functionality on various web services.

HelloTXT Status Manager

Are you having trouble on managing your social network and microblogging status? This is where HelloTXT helps you. With HelloTxt you can post your status once and have it appear automatically on all of your networks, allowing you to keep all of your friends up to date with ease. It also lets you read your friends’ updates from main microblogging and social networks all at once. Below are the features of HelloTXT:-

• Multiple Social Service management. Allows you to have one personal and one professional Twitter account.
• New media management. This feature makes it easier to enrich your status with pics or video.
• Added advanced status. You can add a title to your status for the social services that allow it, like Tumblr.
• Post your pics directly on Tumblr. Soon available also for Facebook and other socials that have pic management.
• Improved Account Page here, you can manage your LifeStream.
• Added comment on your Pics or Video and also Status update.
• Fully compatible with IE6 and IE7, Opera 9.x and of course FireFox, Safari and Chrome.
• There are other new features that you can discover directly on HelloTxt.

HelloTXT | Home
HelloTXT | Register

10 Firefox Extension for Handy Blogging!

Mozilla Firefox works great on its own browser, but it’s the thousands of extensions that make it shine. I have pulled together about 10 add-ons which provide a quick access to handy blogging tools.

• Wordpress.com Sidebar – Adds a quick access sidebar to get to your WordPress.com account.
  
• Firefox Universal Uploader – Universal program for uploading to sites such as Flickr, Picasa, YouTube, and Facebook.
• FireFTP – It is a free, secure, cross-platform FTP client for Mozilla Firefox which provides easy and intuitive access to FTP servers.
• Adsense Notifier – Displays your current earnings from Google Adsense in the status bar.
• ShrinkThisLink Link Shrinker – Use the ShrinkThisLink service without leaving the page.
• StumbleUpon – StumbleUpon discovers web sites based on your interests, learns what you like and brings you more.
• ScribeFire Blog Editor – ScribeFire is a full-featured blog editor that integrates with your browser and lets you easily post to your blog.
• SEOpen – Provides some basic tools to help with search engine optimization. Including google backlinks, yahoo backlinks, PageRank check, http header viewer, and more.
• PayPerPost Opps Hider – Doesn’t it annoy you that PayPerPost opportunities can’t be hidden? There are tons that you can’t post or don’t want to take. With this extension you can easily hide PayPerPost opportunities by clicking a small checkbox.
• coComment – This extension allows you to activate coComment! from the right-click context menu and reduces your onscreen movement time so that you don’t have to move all the way from the comment text box to the Bookmarks and then back to the Submit

Customize your Facebook Layout | PageRage

Are you bored of your current Facebook Design and are looking to customize your Facebook profile page? Now you can customize your Facebook Profile with PageRage. You can simply change the background layout/design on your Facebook Profile.

 

First of all you need to add the PageRage Super Profile (Facebook Application) and you can choose your preferred Layout/Design. There is a lot of skin to dress your Facebook Profile. The problem of this application is your friends need Yontoo Layers (Firefox Extension/IE Add-ons) to view your layout/design.  

 

So this means your friends are only able to view your layout/design on Browser which they installed Yontoo Layer. Yontoo Layers currently works with Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox 2.x on Windows XP and Vista, as well as Firefox 2.x on Mac OS X. If your friend doesn’t have Yontoo Layers, then they will be viewing the default Facebook design

New Twitter Design Debuts !

The famous Micro Blogging Platform has finally transformed to a brand new design. It looks more in line with current web applications and retains its characteristic simplicity it does not include new features, but if it significantly improves the aesthetics and a little accessibility.

 

According to the official blog, a lot of these changes are with a view of the future where if you can add new features. Perhaps the section for more changes has been to design, where you can customize the background and the color of the subject in a more insightful.

I think the change you feel good service, because by now it seemed that it was not working to improve it or to a very slow. Now we have to wait for new features.

Exceptional Eyewear Values, From Zenni

Nowadays most them are having vision difficulties. Vision is so important and it is important for all the human being. So, it is very important for us to take good care of our eyes. Our eyesight should be well taken care of because with out it our life or everything will turn into something that we would not want to have. Nowadays a lot of vision difficulties are caused by viewing the computer monitor for a long period. As a precaution, there are computer glasses eyewears. Currently Eye wear glasses are not cheap. It is pretty much expensive compared to last time. If a normal frame are expensive then what about the stylish frames?

But now there an online optical store which provides quality eyeglasses with all sort branded frames for an affordable prices. The online store is Zenni Optical. The price quoted on their website is pricing which Ur paying for its quality. Zenni Optical sells Stylish Prescription Glasses Online which starts from $8, well that is cheap. 

So if you wanna get a brand new frame now, then don’t hesitate to purchase it from Zenni Optical. Please visit their website today and get a lot of offers and purchase an optical glass for $8 today.

GMail goes offline

Good news, Gmail fans. Google is experimenting with a new ability of Gmail to work offline, when an active Internet connection is not available. This feature relies upon the Gears platform, a browser add-by Google which can plug itself to Internet Explorer, Firefox and comes pre-installed in Chrome.

When offline, you’ll still be able to read retrieved emails, compose, and search. As and when Internet comes online, Gmail will automatically sync the changes you’ve made with Gmail servers. For instance, send unsent messages or check for new messages and retrieve them to your local cache. 

Take a look at this video tour:

 

How to get this feature?

Offline Gmail will be slowly rolled out this week to the English interface of Gmail. Here’s how to enable the feature:

1. Change the language & Country of your Gmail interface to English & USA.
2. Make sure you use a browser supported by Gmail Labs and Gears: Internet Explorer 7.0+, Firefox 2.0+, Safari 3.0+, and Google Chrome. You can’t use Gmail Labs in Internet Explorer 6.
3. Wait until this feature is added to your account. When you see "Offline Gmail" in Gmail Labs, enable the feature, save the changes and click on the "Offline" link that will be displayed next to your username.

Wind Meter for iPhone - calibrated to reveal the speed of said wind

Good news, Now sailors have another tempting application to bring out the best from their favorite high-tech gadget. Your iPhone now can become a windspeed instrument as well! Some very clever engineer types realized that the intensity of wind blowing into the microphone of an iPhone (that roaring static we hear when people call us from their boats) could be calibrated to reveal the speed of said wind.

The harder the blow, the more intense the sound—and the higher the wind gauge needle moves. How cool is that! According to reviews, it really works.

Notes from Apple’s iPhone Tech Talk World Tour

TiPb had a chance to talk to some developers who attended Apple’s recent iPhone Tech Talk World Tour (San Jose, Seattle, New York, Toronto, Paris, London, Hamburg, Bejing, and Tokyo), where they promised expert advice at cities near developers. So how has it gone? The T-Shirt’s given away say it all they “came, saw, and coded”.

There were different tracks for developers to choose from, and one of the complaints we heard was that the devs wished it had been longer so they could have attended them all. Still, we have some notes they were willing to share, after the break!

(And if you think this is just for geeks… well it is, but it explains some of why the iPhone does what it does, and what developers could do to ease some of our frustrations).

WebKit

• One dev who was new to Apple technologies found WebKit and their specific CSS (-webkit-gradient, -webkit-mask, webkit-box-reflect) to be “astoundingly powerful”. (If you run WebKit or Safari-).
• Apple stressed the advantages of using WebKit and embedded WebView. The AppStore app is an example of a native app with a WebKit UI made by Apple.
• A button made in CSS is much lighter than an image file and also scales elegantly (resolution independent).
• Even a JPG that’s only 50k in size will take up 10 times more memory when it’s decompressed and rendered in a UI.
• WebKit interfaces can be updated outside of the App Store approval process, so no resubmission just to change UI elements.
• Client-side database storage API in HTML 5 saves state locally and reloads the next time you view the page.=

App Performance

• Apple believes every developer should be obsessed about performance.
• For the end user experience, every fraction of a second is important. They want to load and go, not invest time in waiting for an app to load.
• iPhone uses 12MB for graphics, 32MB for kernel, 12MB for daemons, 4MB for phone, so for iPhone 2G and 3G, half the memory is gone before any 3rd party app even loads.
• There’s no swap file, so the size of binaries matter since they’ll be loaded into memory.
• When a low-memory situation occurs, there’s a warning. On second warning, background apps are killed, on third warning (95%), front-facing app is killed. (Think Safari disappearing and getting dumped back onto the home screen).
• Apple stressed that developers need to handle these warnings elegantly and free up memory as/when appropriate.
• A user should never be warned about memory or asked what to do (hello AnDROID!).
• Where a developer stores cache is important. If a developer stores cache in a location that iTunes backs up, it creates slow iTunesbackups for users. They should cache in temporary areas instead.
• The iPhone uses a single core processor, but can handle multiple threads. In the future these devices may be multi-core so starting now and building them for that future is a good idea.
• Apple believes that great apps come from developers who pay attention to details beyond just what’s necessary to get the job done.

What About Those Rejections?

• The most common reason for a rejection, according to Apple, was when an app crashed on launch.
• Developers tended to know that if an API was private, they shouldn’t try to make an app that depended on it since it would likely get rejected.
• No specific rejections were brought up or addressed.
• One dev we spoke to liked the App Store and Apple as “gatekeeper” because it created greater end-user trust — people were more likely to trust that App Store apps would work and not mess up their phone or do anything criminal.
• Another dev, when asked about iPhone development vs. another platform, liked that Apple handled all the transactions and getting all the apps in front of all the users, which would be a huge chore and expense otherwise.
• Yet another dev just thought the size and reach of the App Store made it the best place to develop at the moment.

All in all it sounds like developers enjoyed the free event, and the free coffee, pastry, and t-shirts. Hopefully Apple will continue to provide them next year, and going forward.

Mythical iTablet Competitor CrunchPad Undead — JooJoo Coming for $500

The CrunchPad has crashed and burned amid antics and accusations worthy of the silliest TV legal dramas (Denny Crane!), but from its ashes has risen might rise the JooJoo. No, really, that’s what they’re calling it because it’s magic.

A 12″ capacitive tablet that runs only a Unix kernel and boots in 9 seconds into a WebKit browser, and… that’s it. Think Chrome OS but not Google’s in a mythical iTablet package but not Apple’s. Other specs include 4GB of storage, WiFi (no cell data), 5 hours of battery life, USB, headphone, and $500 to take home.

We’re with the many other tech’ers who think that’s a hefty price for a mobile web browser, given the price of everything from the iPod touch (or iPhone) to ultra-cheap netbooks, but there may just be a niche for those early adapters who don’t blink at half a grand.

Perhaps not ironically, Steve Jobs is rumored to have said he won’t ship an Apple tablet until the device does more than let people browser the web on the toilet. Whether that means this specific a device is a space Apple isn’t going to enter, or that $500 for anything that won’t run more than just a web browser is a non-starter in the minds of arguably the best product picker of the last 20 years… you tell us. Want?

Apple Removes 1000 Molinker iPhone Apps for Alleged Astroturfing of Fake Reviews

Apple, on orders from Senior VP of Marketing Phil Schiller, has removed all 1000 Molinker-developed iPhone apps from the App Store for allegedly astroturfing the iTunes review system with fake 5-star reviews. Says iPhone camera and video site, iPhoneography, which reprinted an email from a friend named SCW, and jointly followed up with Apple:

Please investigate for I have just looked at 44 of the reviewers who posted reviews for this Molinker Inc app “NightCam Pro” & EVERY Review except 2 of the 44+ are ALL FAKE 5 ★★★★★ reviews. (on my iPhone I could view more reviews but on my computeronly 35 were visible & of the 35 visible 34 ARE fake). If you investigate ALL have ONLY reviewed ONLY Molinker apps. A little odd that 42 of 44 US reviews are poorly written & that all users have only written reviews for either All Molinker photography apps (giving 5 star reviews to 6-7 Molinker apps ONLY no other apps by any other developer) or the same 2 apps. 10 Reviewers who only reviewed NightCam Pro & ColorMagic (5 Stars), 24+ Reviewers have ONLY written reviews for 6-7 other Molinker photography apps (5 Stars) & 1-2 are real Reviews giving a 1 Star review

Schiller’s response:

“Yes, this developer’s apps have been removed from the App Store and their ratings no longer appear either.”

So, was this one of the rare positive uses of Apple’s rejection hammer? Any negatives that could come from it?

iTunes Rewind: Apple Highlights the Best and Top-Selling Apps of 2009

Apple has once again released their iTunes Rewind listings, highlighting the best, and top-selling iPhone and iPod touch apps of 2009. In the US App Store, it breaks down as follows:

• Spider: the Secret of Bryce Manor [$2.99 - ] and Real Racing [$4.99 - iTunes link] lead best games
• Sims 3 [$6.99 - iTunes link] and the Oregon Trail [$4.99 - iTunes link] lead top selling games.
• ReelDirector [$4.99 - ] and Magellan RoadMate 2010 North America [$79.99 - iTunes link] lead best apps.
• MobileNavigator North America [$89.99 - iTunes link] and MLB.com At Bat [Currently free - iTunes link] lead top selling apps.

Apple also has lists up for best music, best movies [iTunes link], best TV shows [iTunes link], best audio books [iTunes link], and best podcasts.

Airlock : Lock Your Mac with Your iPhone or iPod touch via Bluetooth

If you own either an iPhone or iPod touch along with a Mac computer then Airlock may just be the security OS X application you’ve been looking for. For only $7.77 you can have a very effective lock for your Mac computer with just your iPhone or iPod touch.

How does Airlock work? It’s pretty simple, the program determines when you are near your computer. If you leave your computer’s Bluetooth reach with your iPhone or iPod touch, your computer locks itself. As soon as you are back within Bluetooth range it unlocks your computer. If your iPhone/iPod touch is in a place that is out of range and you need access to your computer, simply set Airlock up to allow for your user name and password to gain access.

If any of you give Airlock a try let us know how you like it!

Old World Publishers Confirm Digital Store

It looks as if the rumors of major publishers getting together to agree upon a set of open standards for a new digital storefront are indeed true. Today Apple Insider is reporting that Condé Nast, Hearst, News Corporation, Time Inc., and Meredith all have officially announced this collaboration.

“For the consumer, this digital initiative will provide access to an extraordinary selection of engaging content products, all customized for easy download on the device of their choice, including smartphones, e-readers and laptops,” said Squires, the interim managing director. “Once purchased, this content will be ‘unlocked’ for consumers to enjoy anywhere, anytime, on any platform.”

At first the store will solely be for newspapers and magazines with the possibility of books, comic books, blogs and more in the future. The publishers are now working on a reading application that will allow the reader to get that experience of the specific publications. Hopefully they come up with something that wows us.

Google Introduces Favorite Places for iPhone

Google’s “Favorite Places on Google” is a new program that really refines the term “window shopping”. Google has sent out 100,000 window decals to various stores and restaurants that the business will place on their door or window. Once the decal is in place, an iPhone user can use the app QuickMark [Free for the first 40,000 downloads - iTunes Link] to snap a picture of the decal and then you will find reviews, coupons if the business are offering them or you can even star a business so you can remember it in the future. Google also claims that in the near future you will be able to review places directly on your iPhone as well.

Currently you can find these decals in over 9,000 towns and cities all over the U.S. and if you are curious to check out what is in your city be sure to visit the site, Favorite Places on Google.

If any of you see these decals around your town, be sure to let us know how well it works for you!

Apple Makes iPhone Developer News and Announcements Available via RSS

Apple has sent out an email to developers that informs them iPhone developer news and announcements are now available via RSS feed.

You can now subscribe to a new RSS feed for iPhone Developer News and Announcements. Stay up to date and receive valuable information on a wide range of topics including:
Tips on submitting apps to the App Store
Current turnaround time for app review
Program updates
Development and testing techniques

If you’re a developer, let us know if you find this helpful. Also, if iPhone 3.2 beta news pops up the feed, let us know and we’ll cancel the “missing” posters

Harbor Master - iPhone Fun Application

Harbor Master is an Fun, addictive and competitive game where your goal is Dock your ships, unload their cargo, and then guide them back out safely so the next ship can dock.

Features:

- 3 unlockable maps, each with its own set of geographical and natural challenges
- 3 types of ships. Smaller ships are faster, but carry less cargo.
- Online high scores
- Multi-Touch support - try playing with a friend!
- Amazing polished graphics
- Original soundtrack - or relax and listen to your own music instead!
- Incredibly addictive gameplay
- Need to take a break or take a call? Don't worry - the game automatically saves for you!
- Supports multiple profiles on one device

As you unload more and more cargo, your expert services will be requested at other ports. But be careful - every port has its own set of challenges! Watch out for the cyclones!

iPhone Game-Pinball Fantasies

Languages: English
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch Requires iPhone OS 2.2 or later

Cowboy Rodeo has published the Pinball Fantasies game for the Apple iPhone/iPod Touch, a successor to the wildly popular iPhone port of the classic Pinball Dreams by Cowboy Rodeo.

Pinball Fantasies is the official iPhone version of the classic Amiga pinball arcade simulator originally released in 1992 and is the successor to the wildly popular Pinball Dreams! 

 

It features the 4 original tables with remastered graphics and yet again comes with 100% of the original addictive game play. The game can be played in both portrait and landscape orientation.

Cowboy Rodeo is an independent Finland-based game developer working on Apple iPhone and Sony PSP platforms. You can find the game in iTunes App Store