Yamaha Home TheaterThere are certain things one expects from a Grand Theft Auto (GTA) game. Sure, there's the obvious: Violence, fast cars, and more violence, but what many GTA laymen don't know, is that GTA fans also expect (since Vice City at least) a rich, compelling story, with likable and (intentionally) unlikable characters. All told in a way only the best video games can.
After spending about two hours with Gameloft's GangStar I can safely say, they got the obvious right. Not so much the other stuff.
Gangstar is a GTA clone for the iPhone and iPod Touch where you play an ex-con named...honestly does it matter what his name is? Seriously, the main character and your sidekick are so similar in appearance I hardly ever know which is talking at any given time.
This is pretty much as sophisticated as it gets...at least in the first hour or two.
(Credit: Screenshot by Eric Franklin/CNET)The game plays very close to GTA. Specifically GTA3. You run around, steal cars, mistakenly--thanks to the default and difficult to control accelerometer controls--run over pedestrians, and shoot and beat innocents to death.
There are also missions you can take by going to certain waypoints designated on your minimap. So far the missions have ranged from chauffeuring your boss around to following and killing groups of gang members.
... Read more
(Credit:
Revo)
There are many docking stations for the iPod/iPhone on the market, but if you're looking for one that's different--possibly in a good way--Revo has something for you.
The company announced on Monday its newest digital radio, the Ikon, which may be the first to come with a full-color 3.5-inch touch screen and an icon-based user interface. It also supports multistandard radio capabilities and works as a dock for the iPod or iPhone.
According to Revo, a European designer and manufacturer of digital audio devices, the Ikon can receive the full roster of digital radio standards, including Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), DAB+, Internet radio, and, of course, conventional FM radio with RDS.
The device can also display color station logos, station descriptions, track and artist information, and news headlines.
The Ikon can wirelessly stream digital music from any PC or Apple computer (presumably via a Wi-Fi connection), displaying full-color album artwork and track information when available. It's one of a limited number of digital radios certified by Apple for use with the iPod or iPhone as a high-quality iPod/iPhone sound system. The device is compatible with all existing iPod and iPhone models.
Apart from its terrestrial and Internet radio capabilities, Ikon will also provide access to online music service Last.fm and comes with a free 30-day Last.fm trial subscription. (Editor's note: Last.fm is part of CBS Interactive, which also publishes CNET News.)
In regard to sound quality, the Ikon boasts NXT's patented "Balanced-Radiator" loudspeaker technology, which creates high-performance sound, with satisfying bass on a compact device.
All this sounds very exciting, but there's a catch: the Ikon isn't cheap. It will be available worldwide sometime in October for an estimated price of around $450, which makes it possibly the most expensive iPod/iPhone docking station of its size.
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Meraki)
Meraki, a known mesh network provider, released Tuesday its first Wireless Census for North America and the results, though dramatic, seem nothing of a surprise. Basically, there has been a huge increase in the number of wireless-capable devices, among which Apple's handheld devices had the biggest jump.
The Meraki Wireless Census surveyed 10,000 randomly selected Meraki access points deployed in North America for two 24-hour periods: June 2, 2008, and June 1, 2009. The study measured the number of distinct client devices that sent probe requests in each 24-hour period. The purpose of the survey was to identify macro-level traffic and end-user device trends.
In details, the number of mobile devices including laptops and handheld devices grew from some 149,000 in 2008 to more than 211,000 in 2009, a 41 percent increase.
Apple's devices played a huge role in this increase. The company's Internet-enabled devices now account for 32 percent of all devices, represented in the survey, in 2009, compared with only 14 percent in 2008. The survey also showed that the popularity of Apple laptops, iPhones and iPods increase an impressive 221 percent just in one year.
Other than Apple's products, there have been an increasing amount of Wi-Fi-enabled handheld devices from other well-known vendors. According to the Meraki's census, the number of Research In Motion (RIM) devices, best known for the BlackBerry smartphones, observed in North America grew by 419 percent from 2008 to 2009, while Nokia devices grew by 114 percent.
In 2008, RIM devices represented just two percent of all devices observed, but grew dramatically to 8 percent for 2009. In 2008 and 2009, Nokia represented one percent and two percent of all devices, respectively.
These shifts in types and numbers of wireless devices are to be expected. In the past few years, more and more highly Internet-capable smartphones have been introduced and more and more Web services are tailored for mobile users.
Personally, while I wish the survey was done in larger than 24-hour periods, the trends seem right and definitely represent the way I access the Internet. Apart from sitting at work writing on my desktop, when on the go, my almost exclusive way to access the Internet is via my iPhone.
How about you? How often do you access the Internet via your phone? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
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Dong Ngo/CNET)
Apple published Thursday a support article cautioning users about jailbreaking the iPhone (as well as other Apple handheld audio devices).
Unlike the company's recent filing to U.S. Copyright Office that suggested that jailbreaking the iPhone might pose a national threat and be the cause of AT&T's unreliable service, the article states that "customers who have installed software that makes these modifications have encountered numerous problems in the operation of their hacked iPhone."
This means that if you get your iPhone jailbroken, for example, you will cause yourself, not others, problems. This is such a relief for me.
The problems that Apple mentioned include:
- Device and application instability: Frequent and unexpected crashes of the device, crashes and freezes of built-in apps and third-party apps, and loss of data
- Unreliable voice and data: Dropped calls, slow or unreliable data connections, and delayed or inaccurate location data
- Disruption of services: Services such as Visual Voice mail, YouTube, Weather, Stocks as well as push-based third party applications have been disrupted or no longer work on the device
- Compromised security: Security compromises have been introduced by the modifications that could allow hackers to steal personal information, damage the device, attack the wireless network, or introduce malicious software or viruses
- Shortened battery life: The hacked software has caused an accelerated battery drain that shortens the operation of an iPhone or iPod Touch on a single battery charge
- Inability to apply future software updates: Some unauthorized modifications have caused damage to the iPhone OS that is not repairable ... Read more
Yes, yes. "Arvale: Journey of Illusion" was exactly what I was looking for...
(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET)Ever had trouble finding a particular app at the iPhone App Store? Who hasn't? A couple weeks ago I spent like 10 minutes trying to find a game a friend had just shown me. That may have had more to do with me being intoxicated and less about the App Store's search functionality, though.
Still, things may be improving. According to AppleInsider, Apple is now asking iPhone developers to enter 255 comma-separated characters as keywords to iTunes Connect to be used for search in the App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch.
iTunes Connect is the application that developers use to upload and submit their iPhone and iPod Touch apps to Apple.
Definitely a welcome change, and it can only improve sales, so I'm sure most developers will be taking advantage of it. I would not be surprised to see some developers exploit this, though, by entering popular keywords for apps that are completely unrelated just for the chance of added exposure.
Hopefully this addition will also improve my app-finding luck as well. Whether I've been drinking or otherwise.
(Credit:
iLuv)
I've always been reluctant to buy accessories for my iPhone 3G. This is because most of them are designed for a specific model of the phone (or the iPod) and would be useless when I move on to another. However, now there's something that will fit almost all Apple's handheld products.
The iMM9400 has support for thumb drive and flash storage cards, too.
(Credit: iLuv)On Wednesday, iPhone and iPod accessories maker iLuv unveiled its newest audio solution, the iMM9400. This product belongs to the company's next generation of Vertical CD/MP3 accessories for the home environment.
The iMM9400 is sleek and modern. What I like the most about it, however, is the fact that it supports a long list of Apple audio products (for both playback and charging), including the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, iPhone, iPod Nano first-through-fourth generations, iPod Touch, iPod Touch second generation, iPod Classic, iPod fourth generation, iPod with video, and the iPod Mini.
Other than that, it can also play back CD and compressed audio files (MP3 and WMA) and offers built-in support for SD/MMC cards and USB flash memory sticks. You can also listen to FM/AM radio with it.
This is a very versatile accessory, and one that can still be useful even if you don't have any Apple products. There's one catch, though: the hefty price tag of $250.
(Credit:
Charge4all.net)
This is not for everybody, but if you have more than one handheld device (like me), you'd probably find this handy.
It's called a Charge4All portable charging mat and it can charge up to four handheld devices at a time from a single source of power. This means you won't have to fumble around to find wall sockets, especially if you share a place with another gadget hoarder.
The mat supports a large amount of (if not all) popular electronic devices, including iPhones, iPods, cell phones, MP3 players, Bluetooth devices, PDAs, digital cameras, portable GPS devices, and so on. The charger comes with four charging ports and five charging plugs for the most popular devices, including: iPod/iPhone, Mini-USB, Micro-USB, Samsung SCH, and LG Chocolate.
In addition, the company offers up to 29 optional plugs that could potentially support the rest of the handheld devices on the market today. Each additional plug costs another $4.95. A car adapter is also available for charging devices on the go.
The charging mat is made of a soft silicon mat that can be rolled up for easy packing. It's powered by an included AC adapter.
Unfortunately, the Charge4All portable charging mat is not designed for charging laptop computers or other devices that require high voltage. It's available now for $39.95.
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Radius Products)
Looks matter. If you don't think so, maybe the new fourth-generation iPod Nano isn't for you.
Radius Products unveiled its new TruTune earbuds Wednesday. The 'buds are designed specifically to match the fourth-generation iPod Nano and its nine different colors.
The earphones have Y-style cables and no extensions, giving them a lightweight feel. They also come with different sizes of silicone caps to fit any ear, big or small.
According to Radius, these earphones deliver the highest level of sound quality, great durability, and unparalleled style. I don't know about the quality, but judging from the look, these things definitely seem eye-catching.
And you can get them easily, too, as they cost only $20 a pair, which is cheaper than many other earphones. Most importantly, for the money, I don't think you can get anything else that makes your iPod Nano even more colorful.
If you're a fan of dystopian humor, like in the movie "Idiocracy," this may be the game for you.
Introduced Monday by Jetson Creative, Ow My Balls! is a funny game that brings some unusual humor to the iPhone (and iPod Touch).
(Credit:
Dong Ngo/CNET)
The game incorporates gravity simulation, funny sound effects, and a very peculiar method of directional acceleration.
I was a little dispirited by the name and the nature of the joke but I tried it anyway. After all, the game made it through the parental vetting process for Apple's App Store.
In the game, you're supposed to kick Joe the Juggler off the top of a building. While this sounds mean, Joe has some very special abilities up his sleeve to keep himself afloat, and you therefore can guide him, by tilting the phone, to hit and land on certain objects.
The distance and the amount of objects that you make Joe hit before he lands will determine the points you get for each fall. A certain amount of points will earn Joe the ability to stay afloat longer.
Each time Joe hits an object (a flag pole, a DirectTV antenna, a bird, a fence, a trash can), the game produces a realistic and funny sound. You can even record your own sound affects.
You'll very likely laugh each time poor Joe lands and will immediately want to make him do it again. For some strange reason, it doesn't seem like Joe minds being kicked off the building at all.
The game is available now at the App Store for 99 cents and I think it's totally worth it. However, depending your type of humor, it might not be for you at all. Consider yourself warned.
Updated at 4:50 PDT: You can read the full review of the product here.
No matter how long your iPhone or iPod's battery life is, it's never long enough. (In the case of the iPhone 3G, it's not even long to begin with). So, it's natural that you'd want to get a juice pack, which will provide extended battery power that can double or even triple the amount of time you can use your device between charges.
Most juice packs work with only a particular model of a device. The Juice Pack Air from Mophie, for example, works only with the iPhone 3G.
This doesn't present a problem if you only have the iPhone 3G. But if you also have an iPod Nano, you may get frustrated with its inflexibility. This is when you want something like the iPWR SuperPack from Wireless Input, the first juice pack I've seen that works with most of Apple's handheld devices, including the original iPhone, the iPhone 3G, the iPod Touch (first and second generations), the iPod Video, the iPod Nano (third and fourth generations), and the iPod Classic. It's also one of the most affordable devices for extended battery life, costing less than $60.
Other than that, the iPWR SuperPack is equipped with an 1,800mAh battery to double the iPhone 3G's battery life. As the iPhone 3G is the biggest battery drainer on the list of supported devices, the SuperPack will likely increase use time even more for others, such as the iPod Nano.
The iPWR SuperPack does have a few easily noticeable shortcomings, however. For example, when connected to a device, it can't be charged, and you can't sync the device with a computer at the same time. It also doesn't have a battery gauge to show how much juice it has left.
Check back at CNET soon for a full review of the product. In the meantime, enjoy a quick slide show.
Eric Franklin's colleagues once had the following to say to him: "Eric, you've been doing this performance testing thing for over 10 years now. How about you try something different?" To which Eric responded, "How about you shut the #%$@! up?" This candid attitude
allows him to go toe-to-toe with the most extreme of personalities, including that of Dong Ngo. This bio was written by Eric Franklin.
Dong Ngo is a knowledgeable, opinionated individual who wants to convince the world that he's just a normal person; but he hasn't had much success. According to him, this is because the world itself is abnormal. Dong loves traveling and is well-versed in several languages. He, unfortunately, is not so well-versed in English. Still, it's best to ask him questions. From networking and how to optimize your system, to turning a strange place into home or what the meaning of life is…most of the time, he has the answers. The question is: Will he make himself understood? Subscribe and find out!
