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golfing

Best iOS golf games for Dad

Does your dad like golf? With Father's Day this weekend and the summer finally hitting its stride, heading out to the links is probably on a lot of dads' minds. But why let your dad's golfing be limited to the weekend or the warm months of summer when you can bring the links to him on his iOS device?

This week's collection of apps is all about playing a quick game of golf during downtime. The first app lets you play through nine-hole courses in strange, multilevel fantasy 2D worlds. The second lets you join one of the best golfers around, in a more involved golf simulation, playing on real-world courses. The last, out this week, is the sequel to an excellent pick-up-and-play golf game, perfect for when you need a quick fix.

Super Stickman Golf (99 cents) is a 2D golf game that's really easy to pick up and play, with tons of fantastical themed courses, interesting power-ups, and excellent physics-based gameplay. Though the game has a huge number of arcadelike features, the goal is always the same: try to get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible. The challenge is that it can be much harder than it looks.

Rather than your standard 3D layout as seen in many golf games, Super Stickman Golf offers up a 2D platformer experience. The courses often have multiple levels you'll need to reach and obstacles you'll need to avoid to finally get on the green.

The interface consists of arrows on the left to adjust the arc of your shot, a button in the middle for bringing in bonus items, and a "Go!" button you'll need to hit twice for each shot: once to start the swing, and a second time to adjust shot power.… Read more

VW to test car-sharing program in Germany

Residents in Hanover, Germany are being encouraged to share a Volkswagen. Volkswagen is launching its Quicar car-sharing program in the capital of Lower Saxony, and will recruit residents, students, government officials, and commercial users to share a fleet of about 50 fuel-efficient vehicles in an effort to reduce traffic.

The first batch of cars for the Quicar program will be the extremely fuel-efficient VW Golf BlueMotion. The hatchback, which isn't available in the U.S., is equipped with a 1.6-liter TDI diesel engine, a start-stop system, and regenerative brakes to achieve its 60 mpg fuel economy. To start, … Read more

Anytime is tee time

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 is the first game from the popular golf franchise on iOS since April 2009, and it's easy to see that this latest game is leaps and bounds beyond the original. The graphics on the iPhone 4 Retina Display are smooth, reminding us of console-level golf games. The controls have been fine-tuned as well, making it easy to adjust shot types and switch clubs depending on the situation.

You get the choice to play as Tiger Woods, alongside him, or as any one of several current pro male and female players. You can also create … Read more

Physics puzzles and realistic golf: iPhone apps of the week

I reviewed GarageBand for iPad recently and, as I said in the review, I wish I could give this app six stars. With the combination of smart touch-screen controls, tons of loops, an incredible amount of instruments, and smart instruments that make even someone with no musical talent sound good, this app is simply a must-have at $4.99.

This week Apple issued a small update for the app that will be welcome news for GarageBand fans. Now you'll be able to transfer your iPad masterpieces to your Mac to work on them further in GarageBand for Mac. This … Read more

Car Tech Live 206: 2011 Geneva auto show edition (podcast)

Ferrari FF, Lamborghini Aventador, BMW Connected Drive, and the Alfa Romeo 4C are just a few of our favorites from Geneva that we cover this week.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 206 SHOW NOTES Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Ferrari FF Alfa Romeo 4C 2012 VW Golf Cabriolet And even more CNET coverage of Geneva 2011

CNET's LOL cars gallery

2011 Geneva auto show: 2012 VW Golf Cabriolet

The Golf cabriolet was just one of those semi-iconic cars. The along came the New Beetle and later the EOS and VW figured there was no place for the Golf Cab. Brian Cooley wonders what they were thinking as he takes you for a walk around the best looking, most appealing open VW of them all.

(CNET's full coverage of the 2011 Geneva auto show)

It don't mean a thing (if you can't track your swing)

Here's another motion-sensing start-up at Launch--Zepp. It's showing off Golfsense, a high-resolution motion tracker that records your swing in 3D and sends the data to your iPhone. Hackers (you know what I mean) will love this. It measures the consistency of your swing, shows you the clubface's track in a rotatable 3D image, and compares your handiwork to advice from golf coaches.

Unlike Greengoose, which only grossly tracks motion but can monitor your juice bottles, Golfsense is highly specialized to track fine-grained and very fast motion. Doing a golfing app with this technology is smart; this is a group of users who eat up picky, specific critiques on how they move. But future apps are also interesting, and not just in sports. The service could be used for medical rehab, for example.

It's interesting how data from the physical world is getting into the virtual, with services like the motion trackers shown off at Launch, as well as check-in apps like Foursquare. Of course I worry about privacy with the growth of tracking services, and insurance companies getting hold of this data, but for now, if you're a golfer, definitely check this out. … Read more

Car Tech Live 197: Tale of two pocket rockets (podcast)

We drive the Honda CR-Z, and await the new VW Golf R; ratting out speed traps gets kinda legit; the VW that sounds like a guitar; and Google plays smashmouth with the auto nav industry.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 197 SHOW NOTES

? Navteq buys Trapster

? VW gets Fender audio system

? VW Golf R returning to the U.S.

? CR-Z gets a K engine transplant

? Google video suggests the end of in-car GPS

? CNET's LOLCars gallery

A unique GPS app and an arcade golf game: iPhone apps of the week

A news item this week over at AppleInsider uncovered a troubling practice by a developer at the iTunes App Store. Apparently, users who downloaded a free massive multiplayer online game from a Chinese developer complained of unauthorized in-app purchases, running up the bills on their iTunes accounts. One user reported the situation to Apple resulting in him getting a refund for the fraudulent purchases and Apple promising to investigate the claims.

Even with a closed system like iTunes, apparently it is still possible for dishonest people to find a way to steal our money. Let's hope that Apple gets to the bottom of this case and finds a way to prevent these unauthorized purchases in the future. Until there's more news about this problem, be sure to regularly check your iTunes receipts (sent to the e-mail address attached to your iTunes account) for strange charges and report the issue to Apple if you have any problems.

This week's apps include a unique location-based social network app and an arcade golf game where you flick to win.… Read more