collections

Regardless of how you feel about playing games on an iPhone--or iPad for that matter--Sega is bringing classic Genesis titles to the platform. We first told you about the Ultimate Genesis Collection app two weeks ago; here's a follow-up with some exclusive hands-on impressions.

Like most games that originated in the world of controllers, the Ultimate Genesis Collection relies on virtual buttons placed on the sides of the screen. You also have the option to play games in their original aspect ratio, which will put a graphic border around the game screen.

Sonic the Hedgehog looked great, though we did notice a slight dip in frame rate. There's a certain magic missing from the iPhone version that the classic was able to generate, most likely because the virtual controls aren't as solid as we would have liked. Precise controls are a must in games like Sonic, so it's going to take a lot of getting used to for those familiar with the speed of the original. A game like Ecco the Dolphin seemed slightly better in terms of control (it's a slower game), though a learning curve is still present here. … Read more

Apple makes extracting your music from your iPod unnecessarily difficult, which is where SharePod comes in. This fast freeware tool efficiently transfers your music collection to your hard drive, making it easy to back up or restore your music, videos, and photos. It also transfers playlists, album art, and ratings, both to your hard drive and directly into iTunes.

SharePod comes with features that many competitors lack. Not only can you transfer your files, you can also perform some basic editing. You can use it to delete art, playlists, music, and videos from your iPod, edit tags, and you can … Read more

Sony took some heat for removing backward compatibility from the PlayStation 3 so early in its lifetime, but the elimination of such functionality has opened the door for re-releases of classic PS2 games like the God of War franchise. We already chatted with John Hight, Director of Product Development for Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, at Santa Monica Studio about what to expect from the Collection, so let's see what we think after a week's worth of playtime with Kratos and the final version.

In the God of War Collection, both God of War I and II have … Read more

Souptoys is a fun and imaginative game in which users manipulate all kinds of onscreen toys with delightful effects. In a world where violent children's games are all too common, Souptoys is refreshingly innocent and surprisingly fun.

Souptoys isn't a game as much as a set of onscreen toys, as is suggested by the fact that its components are kept in a virtual toy box. What will you find in the toy box? Anything you'd find in a real one: balls, stuffed animals, blocks, roller skates, and much more, plus a few things you probably wouldn't … Read more

Scavenger is a fun and challenging game in which players must pilot a spacecraft through the Star Hulk Icarus, dodging bullets, collecting treasure, and locating orbs that can open the way out. The game's quality graphics and unintuitive (in a good way) controls made it hard for us to pull ourselves away.

One of the most challenging things about Scavenger is the way that users control their spacecraft. Rather than piloting the craft directly, users must use the mouse to move a cursor, which the craft follows. This is harder than it sounds, especially when you're trying to … Read more

Smart WorkTime Tracker provides a unique twist on the traditional billable hours tracking software. Its simplicity and accuracy make this a great tool for those who need to track the time spent on a project.

The program's interface was surprisingly simple to operate. We were able to easily navigate through its few intuitive commands without having to divert to the Help file's tutorial. This kept our interaction with the program to a minimum so we could focus on work. The program really set itself apart from other time-tracking software because it could be set to automatically track time … Read more

MB Dream Dictionary is a simple tool for discovering the meaning behind dreams. Its list of dream-related terminology is a great starting point for learning more about nighttime visions.

The program's interface is surprisingly basic, consisting of only words and definitions. This is actually good, because the online Help file's instructions do little to illuminate the program, so we had to learn ourselves. Fortunately, this took almost no time, and we were working through the dictionary in a few seconds. MB Dream Dictionary is simply a gazette of hundreds of dream-related terms, listed in alphabetical order. We were … Read more

BookCAT provides all the tools necessary to track books for a professional or a home library. Its interesting options give you full control of your catalog and lending.

Although it performed a complicated task, the program's interface is surprisingly accessible. It has plenty to offer seasoned and novice librarians as well as beginning to advanced book collectors. The layout is professional and intuitive with its bright, well-labeled commands. We were instantly pleased with this program, since we were able to quickly populate our entire library by entering only each book's ISBN number. BookCAT instantly downloaded each volume's … Read more