iOS software

Defend against enemy onslaughts on iOS

My gaming addiction tends to go in phases. Sometimes I like puzzle games, then I'll move on to shooting games. After that, I might switch to racing games or go on to classic arcade. Whatever the flavor of the week is, I like to really get into it to see what the App Store has to offer.

The recent release of a classic iOS game sequel got me back into playing tower defense strategy games. There is something about finding just the right combination of turrets to pass challenging levels that appeals to me right now. After playing the sequel for a bit, I started to check out a few other games. If you like tower defense, this collection is for you.

This week's collection of iOS apps are my favorite tower defense games of the moment. The first has been around for awhile, but continues to be a go-to game when I'm playing tower defense. The second adds unique game elements that change the gameplay by keeping you busy. The third is a sequel to one of the most popular iOS tower defense games of all time.… Read more

iTunes Match vs. Amazon Cloud Player: What's the better option?

With Amazon's recently updated Cloud Player service, music fans now have one more way to store and stream their tunes from the cloud. It bears many similarities to Apple's iTunes Match, but after playing around with both services I can attest to some clear differences, as well. If you're looking for some guidance on which service is a better fit for your music collection, you've come to the right place.

iTunes Match Cloud Player Free option n/a 250 songs, scan & match, purchases do not count against total Paid option $24.99/yr, scan & … Read more

Rumor Has It: iPhone 5 isn't the only trick up Apple's sleeve

On this week's show, we discuss the latest iPhone 5 release date rumors, Samsung's possible Retina Display, and an alleged new tablet from Sony, and we wonder if Apple is really interested in buying a stake in Twitter.

The New York Times came out with a report over the weekend describing talks between Apple and the 140-character proselytizer. The report alleged that Apple has considered buying a minority stake in Twitter, a company that hasn't yet filed an IPO. The Wall Street Journal chimed in to say the talks were more than a year ago, and its … Read more

iTunes vs. Amazon: What's the best video service on the iPad?

The future of TV, movies, and home entertainment feels like it's changing by the day, thanks to the impact of the digital revolution. Netflix is the top dog thanks to its $8 subscription streaming service, but your viewing choices are severely limited. For a la carte, pay-as-you-go services, Apple's iTunes has been the default choice for many when it comes to buying, renting, and viewing videos. Splitting the difference was Amazon's Instant Video: it offers a diverse library of pay-per-view TV shows and movies, plus a subset of "free" content for subscribers to the company'… Read more

Fanhattan for iOS adds HBO and Cinemax, still trying to be iPad's perfect video app

Devices like the iPad have become spectacular as repositories for streaming TV apps and video services, but they're not so great at discovery of said streaming shows, which tend to be scattered around like Easter eggs across different apps. The latest version of Fanhattan takes a small step forward in the great Mission To Help iPad Users Find Their Videos, but it's not the perfect app yet. … Read more

Facebook adds 'Save' to iOS app, online, reports say

Facebook has a new saving feature rolling out across mobile devices and its site, according to new reports.

The folks over at Apple site iMore today published photos of a new Facebook app feature in iOS, called "Save." The feature, according to iMore, will allow users to save a post in their timeline for viewing later on. In order to do so, users must hold their finger over a post and click "save" when the option pops up.

The Verge is also reporting today that the "Save" option has made its way to Facebook.com. … Read more

Apple's Siri nailed with patent suit over voice-to-text

Apple's virtual personal assistant Siri has been smacked with yet another lawsuit.

This time around, Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University filed a lawsuit against Apple on Friday, charging the company with violating patents it holds related to voice-to-text technology. The university says that it acquired two patents in 2007 and 2010 in the U.S., and believes that Siri violates those.

Apple is certainly no stranger to Siri lawsuits. Over the last year, the company has been hit with everything from class-action suits complaining of the service's performance to infringement. Earlier this month, Shanghai-based voice application developer … Read more

Follow the 2012 Olympic games on your iOS or Android phone

There are few events quite as exciting as the Olympics. With athletes from all over the world competing for their respective countries, it's easy to get excited as you root for your country to win. Obviously, I'll be rooting for my American compatriots, but seeing the drama of each event, no matter who the winner is, can be appreciated by anyone.

This year, the apps for tracking Olympic events are better than ever before, but still not quite perfect. Since NBC is covering the Olympics, it's the only app in this collection that will have live streams … Read more

Apple wants to control everything in your home via NFC

An Apple patent application published yesterday reveals that the company has seriously looked into the notion of using near-field communication to allow its devices to take over your home, from the garage door to your gaming console.

The patent was originally filed in April of 2010 and is quite lengthy, with dozens of illustrations showing Apple products (largely the iPhone) using mostly NFC to act as a remote control to turn various household devices like televisions, projectors, standalone cameras, and DVRs into their slaves.

No, I'm not saying Apple has applied to patent digital slavery -- unless you already consider yourself a slave to Apple products in your house, in which case this patent could certainly tighten your iShackles while also making them a lot more comfy and amazing.… Read more

Beam a Web page from a Mac to an iOS device with Web2Go

Are you reading this blog post on a Mac? Would you like to continue reading it on your iPhone or iPad? With Web2Go, you can beam it straight to Safari on your iOS device. Here's how it works:

First, install the 99-cent Web2Go app for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch; it's a universal app. Next, head to the Mac App Store and install the free Web2Go companion app for your Mac.

Once you have both apps installed and have Web2Go on your Mac running in the background (it opens a small icon in your Mac's menu … Read more