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Filed under: Software, Freeware, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Sportacular updated for (fantasy) football

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Oct 10th, 2009

I only follow a few sports teams, but for the teams I do follow, Sportacular (that's the iTunes link for the free version, and here's the paid version, sans ads) is definitely my app of choice. For nearly every professional sport you can think of, the app will track scores, plays, schedules, standings, and anything else you need to know about everything from NFL to college football to the English Premier League and the PGA.

Right after iPhone OS 3.0 came out, the developer added in push notifications, and now I've got push updates coming whenever the Cubs have a game starting and ending (or at least, when they did -- there's always next year) and whenever a Bears quarter ends. Sportacular even has a few social features happening -- you can make picks and discuss each game with other fans using your Facebook login, as well as read news and updates about each team in the games you check out.

The app was updated to version 1.6 last night, and the new features include better game pages for NFL and NCAA football, and option to manage and track your fantasy football team in conjunction with their fantasy football app on Facebook. The one bummer I have is that they don't have actual media of the games -- for that, you'll probably have to go for an official app. But especially as a free download (the ads are definitely non-intrusive), Sportacular is really impressive with everything it does to help you track your favorite sports and teams.

Tags: ads, app, citizen-sports, download, facebook, fantasy-football, football, free, ncaa, nfl, sport-tracking, sportacular, stats, tracking, update

Filed under: iWork, Developer, iPhone

Free iPhone Keynote and PowerPoint templates help get you from thought to finish

by Sang Tang (RSS feed) on Sep 16th, 2009

Mockapp.com has created both Keynote and PowerPoint templates of iPhone UI elements, and has made them available as free downloads. Say you had a dream in the middle of the night about the most awesome iPhone app that, to your surprise, no one has thought of yet. Instead of waking up in a deep sweat and scribbling said ideas on paper, you could dream them up on Keynote.

After mapping out your concept on Keynote, you could then pitch it to others in a Keynote presentation. The Keynote and PowerPoint templates include alerts, the iPhone keyboard, arrow icons, buttons, as well as a host of other UI elements.

Tags: download, iphone, keynote, powerpoint, templates, ui

Filed under: Gaming, Odds and ends, Freeware, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Sega giving away Columns on iPhone for free all this weekend

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Jul 3rd, 2009

Normally we'd just send out a tweet about this (that's usually what we do with free app deals, so if you're not one of the almost 40,000 people following us yet, you definitely should be), but this is a good one, and it's a holiday, so we wanted to make sure you knew. Sega is feeling particularly generous this weekend, so they're giving away free copies of their Columns Deluxe, a port of the old Genesis game, for the iPhone. The game is a pretty straightforward port -- it doesn't have any extras, and the accelerometer controls are a little tacked on from what we hear, but if you like the puzzler gameplay of Columns, and you should, it's a fun one to pull up for a few minutes at a time.

Plus, it's free -- from July 3rd to Monday, July 6th, Sega says it'll be on sale for the low price of nothing at all. Sounds good to us -- sit back, put a few brats and burgers on the grill, grab a Corona (and lime, of course), and enjoy some old-school dropping block gameplay for no money at all.

Tags: columns, download, free, free-stuff, gaming, genesis, holiday, independence-day, iphone, sega

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Software, Odds and ends, Apple, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Diorama will tilt your mind

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Jun 18th, 2009

See, now this is the kind of game I want from my iPhone -- the accelerometer isn't just a gimmick thrown in with the gameplay, it's the actual premise of the game. Diorama is a weird little Marble Madness-style maze game, but the catch here is that instead of just tilting the accelerometer to move the ball (which you do), the level of the game actually moves with you, so that you get a stereoscopic kind of effect, as if the stage is real inside your iPhone's screen. Tough to explain, but as soon as you see it above, you'll know what it's like. We've seen this kind of effect before in apps like MotionX's Dice roller, but in this case, it's actually part of the game -- you can only find the paths to take around the stages by actually tilting the device. And for extra 3D viewing, there's an actual 3D mode, so if you happen to have red and cyan glasses around, you can switch on the mode for anaglyphic 3D.

The app is the first iPhone release from a company called Drömsynt, and though the initial reports on iTunes say the game is pretty tough (it is a pain navigating the quickly-moving ball around those pathways), for just 99 cents, it's definitely worth downloading, if only to see how it works. So many apps just throw in a few iPhone-specific features as afterthoughts, but it's refreshing to see a game like this (or like Zen Bound, which really depends on the multitouch screen) rely on the originality of the hardware itself.

Tags: 3d, accelerometer, anaglyph, anaglyphic, app-store, diorama, download, dromsynt, game, hardware, motionx-dice, release, screen, stereoscopic, zen-bound

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Software, Freeware, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Kaloki Adventure and Peggle on sale, plus free music

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Jun 12th, 2009

If you didn't jump to pick up Kaloki Adventure [App Store link] after our first look last week, now's your chance: the game is on sale today (not tomorrow, apparently -- you've got under 24 hours) for just $1.99, a buck cheaper than the usual $2.99 price. The game offers some fun but casual real-time strategy business simulation, so if your dream has ever been to own a burgeoning spaceport, they don't come cheaper than that.

And as an added bonus, NinjaBee is also offering a catchy tune from the game's soundtrack on their website for the low, low price of completely free. It's the jumpy, swingin' background music to the main gameplay, composed by Eric Nunamaker, who's apparently been working on video game music for quite a while.

Oh, and finally, while we're talking about awesome iPhone games on sale, Peggle is only a buck. 'Nuff said.

Tags: app-store, cheap, download, eric-nunamaker, free, games, iphone, ipod-touch, kaloki-adventure, music, ninjabee, peggle, sale, soundtrack, tunes

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Multimedia, Developer, iPhone, App Store, App Review

Capsuleer 2.0 for iPhone helps you track EVE Online status

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Apr 14th, 2009

Massively has a good look at an iPhone app that's a must-have for players of the space-based multiplayer EVE Online -- Capsuleer 2.0 isn't an actual client, but like the desktop app EVEMon, it allows you to monitor and track your EVE pilots from outside the game. It's also got skill queues built in (unlike other MMOs, EVE allows you to have your pilots level even while you're away from the game, so most of the strategy in leveling actually comes in choosing the next skill to work towards), a skill library, more pilot details, and even a mini-RSS feeder, incorporating a few popular blogs from around the EVE blogosphere.

The two developers of the app tell Massively that their biggest issues in developing the app were mostly by way of the limits CCP (the company behind EVE Online) places on what third-party apps can do with their info.. Most of the things they can't do are built into the game itself, and so it makes sense that a certain amount of functionality can't leave the game client (or else people might never log into the game). The app is currently free in the App Store right now, and the devs aim to keep it that way, but just recently added ads to the mix from the game's official magazine to cover server costs and bandwidth.

Finally, they say they're excited about the possibilities with iPhone 3.0 -- notifications are mentioned, and of course it would be cool to get a popup reminder every time a pilot is about to hit a skill. They're also working on a way to provide stats about the ingame Faction Warfare. Sounds cool -- EVE Tracker is still another possibility if you want to follow your EVE progress on the iPhone, but it looks like Capsuleer adds even more innovation to the mix.

Tags: ads, api, app, app-review, app-store, apple, capsuleer, ccp, download, e-on, eve-online, free, gaming, iphone, massively, mmos, pilots, skills

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Odds and ends, Freeware, iPhone

Adventure released for the iPhone

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Nov 19th, 2008

Part of me just wants to post this screenshot, link this app, and say "go get it," but I have a feeling that my blogging overlords here would think I was just being lazy -- they might not understand that this is a screenshot from Adventure, which is available for free on the iPhone. Anyone who ever played an Atari 2600 and owns an iPhone won't need any more explanation than that to install this.

But I don't want to be seen as lazy (any more than I already am), and so I'll also say that Adventure basically pioneered the action-adventure genre of games, and that though its art is spare and its noises are little more than bleeps and bloops, both are classic and coated with pure nostalgia. While Adventure is currently controlled on the iPhone with tilt controls, its designer will add touch controls as well in the future.

Other than that: go get it. It's free.

Tags: adventure, atari-2600, awesome, beeeeeep, beep, boop, download, dragon, free, key, nostalgia, sword

Filed under: Odds and ends, Freeware, Internet Tools, Deals

Check out Snak for free today only

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Nov 5th, 2008

A new President, free software, and a look at an IRC client you probably haven't used yet -- what more could you ask for? Snak is giving out their IRC client today (and there's only a little bit of time left in the day, sorry about that) for free to celebrate the choice of Barack Obama as President of the United States. Whether you support that choice or not, no one would vote against free software, right? Go check it out, enjoy the free download (to get a license, you've got to drop an email note to Obama2008 AT snak.com), and leave the Obama drama for your mama.

Personally Colloquy does pretty much everything I'll ever need in an IRC client, and it's already free (although they do appreciate donations if you enjoy the 'ware). But Snak looks like it's got some cool features too, including an "Mp3 list" for... erm... backup downloading, and an "address book" for all your IRC friends. Seems worth trying out, and today at least, you can't beat the price.

Thanks, Alex D!

Tags: download, election, free, irc, irc-client, mac, os-x, snak

Filed under: iPhone 101

iPhone 101: Pause an app download

by Cory Bohon (RSS feed) on Sep 17th, 2008

With the advent of firmware 2.1, Apple has added the ability to pause a App Store download currently in progress. When you purchase an app, a temporary download icon will appear on your home screen. While the application is still in the download process, tapping it will pause the download.

Paused downloads will be denoted by the word "Paused" underneath the icon. To resume the download, just tap again. While Apple has added this feature to the iPhone OS, your mileage may vary as far as it working properly. In one instance, our iPhone had to be restarted completely before the download would resume properly.

Want more iPhone tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW's iPhone 101 section.

Tags: app store, AppStore, download, firmware 2.1, Firmware2.1, iPhone, iPod touch, IpodTouch, pause

Filed under: Software, iTunes, Software Update

iTunes 8: Ready for download

by Cory Bohon (RSS feed) on Sep 9th, 2008

Many new iPod related announcements occurred at the "Let's Rock" event today, but Apple also updated the software that powers all of those inventions: iTunes. iTunes 8 includes many new features, and it's now available for download.

While iTunes isn't yet showing up in Software Update, you can download it straight from Apple's website. So, go ahead, download iTunes 8 and wow yourself with the new features (and don't forget to check out the new visualizer). Update: As you might expect, the new iTunes requires QuickTime 7.7.5 for video playback -- get them both.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Tags: download, iPod, iTunes, software update, SoftwareUpdate

Filed under: Software, Open Source

Adium 1.3 released

by Cory Bohon (RSS feed) on Aug 25th, 2008

Multi-service, open source and free chat client Adium received a new point release tonight, with new features and a redesigned interface for viewing contact information.

Adium 1.3 features the following goodies:

Get Info Window is now called the "Contact Inspector"
The aforementioned Contact Inspector has a newly redesigned interface that allows for faster retrieval of contact information
Facebook chat is now integrated into Adium 1.3
Standard contact window list now features a search box (found by pressing command + F)
Improved MSN support with personal messages
Speed improvements
Multiple bug fixes

To download this new revision of Adium, just visit the Adium website and click the download link. If you would like a complete list of all the changes in Adium 1.3, just visit the Version History page.

Tags: 1.3, Adium, changes, download, instant messaging, instant messenger, InstantMessaging, InstantMessenger, Mac, redesign, software update, SoftwareUpdate

Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone, App Store

iPhone 101: Re-downloading an application

by Cory Bohon (RSS feed) on Jul 18th, 2008

Has a sync somehow gone terribly wrong and you've lost your favorite paid application for your iPhone or iPod touch? Well, if you didn't have a backup of it in your iTunes library, fear not. Apple has designed the App Store to allow for re-downloading purchased applications.

All you have to do is navigate to the application that you originally bought in the App Store and tap "Buy." You will have to enter your password, and the App Store will return you to your home screen where it displays a message saying that you've already bought this application and are entitled to an additional free download. After you tap "OK," your app will begin downloading.

Now you don't have to fret about losing your favorite iPhone or iPod touch application.

Tags: app, App Store, application, AppStore, download, iPhone, iPod touch, IpodTouch, loss

Filed under: iPod Family, App Store

iPod touch 2.0 update now for sale, for real

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Jul 12th, 2008

Blessed are the patient, for they shall pay $9.95 (or $10.79, with sales tax depending on your billing address) and download the iPod touch 2.0 Software Update (store link), and yea they shall wait some 20 to 30 minutes for the 226 MB of new firmware to descend from the high Akamai and bestow App Store access upon them. In point of fact, also blessed are the impatient who remained awake and clicked the "Upgrade" button every five minutes up until 12 am ET, which is about when everything started to get moving.

Downloading it now, gallery below, first impressions to come. We have a warning from reader Paul that his upgrade to 2.0 (on an iPhone first-gen, not a touch) nuked his Address Book data, so be sure to back up before you upgrade your devices. We also have a tip from Cody that Canadian would-be buyers of the 2.0 update and App Store goodies must use a credit card; iTunes gift cards are not working to place the order.

Note that there is a new SLA accompanying this upgrade, as one might expect (PDF here). If you're hungry for more as you wait for your upgrade to download and run, you can browse the list of iPod touch-compatible apps or check out our First Looks so far.

Update: Installed, resynced and bought some apps -- all working as expected except for Mail, which is hanging on start and kicking back to the main screen. Going to try wiping it down and resyncing if I can. A note to the commenters who are suggesting pulling a torrent of the new firmware instead of coughing up the $10... c'mon, are you going to risk your $300 iPod's health on a pirated software update? It's $10. Give up cigarettes or something.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Gallery: iPod touch 2.0 update screenshots

Tags: 2.0, 9.95, download, finally, ipod touch, IpodTouch, itunes, touch

Filed under: iPod Family, Software Update, iPhone, App Store

Get your 2.0 firmware on ... early!

by Cory Bohon (RSS feed) on Jul 10th, 2008

Just as the MobileMe software was found early, so has the iPhone 2.0 firmware! Yes, you heard me correctly, you can now download the long-awaited, much-anticipated, 2.0 firmware. MacRumors reports that you can download the 2.0 firmware by clicking this link (iPhone1,2_2.0_5A347_Restore.ipsw).

Before you just up and download this random file from Apple's website, note this knowledge base article in which Apple notes that your iPhone/iPod touch will be erased in order to perform the 2.0 install.

"Normally if you choose to update, the iPhone or iPod touch software is updated but your settings and media are not affected. If your device currently has a software version prior to 2.0 (1.x) and you are updating to software version 2.0 or later, all data on your device will be erased in order to perform install the new software. In this case, iTunes will offer to create a one-time media backup of your device depending on what content is on your device and what content is stored in the iTunes Library you are connected to. You should ensure that you have enough free space on your Mac or PC to accommodate a backup that matches the capacity of your iPhone or iPod touch (4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, or 32 GB) if you proceed with the this backup," explains Apple.

To install this update, you must download the ipsw file and iTunes 7.7. Open iTunes and clicking the option + clicking the check for update button will prompt iTunes to ask for the ipsw location; once you've done that, iTunes will begin the firmware update.

Auntie TUAW's note: we would recommend you wait for the "official release" of the 2.0 firmware; it's not a good idea to go poking around on Apple's servers and download random files for installs.

[via MacRumors]

Tags: 2.0 firmware, 2.0Firmware, download, early, iPhone, MacRumors

Filed under: Software, Internet, Internet Tools, Open Source

Despite a rough start, Firefox 3 Download Day a success

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on Jun 18th, 2008

As reported earlier here on TUAW, Firefox 3 Download Day began with a whimper instead of a bang. Starting shortly after the official launch, TUAW received a number of tips from readers who tried downloading the vulpine browser and got...nothing.

It appears that things cleared up fairly quickly. Several TUAW bloggers were able to successfully download the new browser about 90 minutes after the 10 AM PDT launch. The Mozilla Blog has a message from Paul Kim, Mozilla's VP of marketing, talking about the early difficulties and the subsequent download trend:

"Our systems were quite busy earlier this morning so individual requests may not have gotten through - but they are all up now and serving a tremendous amount of traffic and downloads. We are currently serving almost 9,000 downloads a minute, which puts us on track to achieve 5-7 million downloads our first day of general availability."

More highlights and records are outlined on the blog. Be sure to download your very own customized Thank You! Certificate, available here.

[via the Mozilla Blog]

Tags: download, firefox3, mozilla

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