The Ultimate List of iPhone Video Apps for Editing, Effects and Sharing Mobile Movies

It’s no secret that today’s amateur videographers can make professional-level videos with hip-pocket devices. The iPhone’s HD video camera is certainly up to the task of recording, but you’ll still need a way to edit and share all those video masterpieces. The App Store is practically overflowing with video editing apps to help users make their videos stand out from the crowd. Armed with the right knowledge, you can hunt down the best video apps for the iPhone, or you can keep reading.

The editors at AppCraver put our heads together to come up with a list of our favorite video applications for editing, adding special effects and sharing our creations. We’ve highlighted the top apps for each task below.

Designed and advertised for its HDR abilities, Flare’s video effects features are nearly professional-grade. This Top 50 app’s combination of a simple interface and live effects take a lot of the guesswork out of shooting. The large and user-friendly viewfinder helps you keep the subjects right where you want them. As an added bonus, Flare supports pinch-to-zoom capabilities, making setting up and changing shots a snap. Done editing? Share your full-quality video creations across the web with upload options for Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Tumblr, Flickr and other social media favorites. With everything it has to offer, Flare is one of the best bargains on the App Store.

If what you really need is a good all-around editing/effects app, CinemaFX for Video is the one to download. It’s more than the standard two-tap apps for automatically improving videos, but with 55 different effects at the ready, you won’t have to spend six months learning the nuances of video editing either. Build your own custom edits by layering choices from a huge variety of options that include color changes like BW or sepia, vintage effects that use film grain or blur, toy camera effects that simulate Holga or Polaroid and many more. You can preview different styles side-by-side against the original before applying and, then, when you’re done export your video up to 720P and share it on Youtube or email with a minimum of fuss.

Videophiles who enjoys customizing their videos and want to keep that film-like look, will enjoy FiLMiC Pro. Noteworthy features include a dual-thumb setup for better control during filming, a professional-grade set of upload options that include Dropbox and FTP, and variable frame rate settings for true versatility. With a well-thought out interface that is intuitive yet powerful, FiLMiC Pro is definitely geared towards the needs of serious users. However, with a low price this low, even newbies who just want to star in a few home movies will be tempted to create their own feature films. Read our complete review of FiLMic Pro.

Yes, this app offers more than one “trick,” but they’re all designed with the same goal in mind — to turn your uber-modern iPhone video into a cool, retro Super 8 flick. Record live video while mixing and matching seven lens effects and three animated filters to get the perfect vintage look. You can also rearrange scenes and add movie credits. Those who are so inclined, can explore extra features in the app that correspond to the Super 8 movie release such as film clips, show times and leaderboards.

Selective colorization is still a “fan favorite” when it comes to creating simple, striking photography. Like Color Splash for still photos, ColorStroke Video Maker is the best app for applying this effect to iPhone videos. The technique will convert your video to black and white leaving only certain objects in full color. You choose the color and let the app work its magic. Take this app for what it is and you can make some interesting videos. Just remember, you don’t have a green screen. You have an iPhone and a $3 app. Don’t expect miracles and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results.

As the name implies, Silent Film Director transforms your iPhone into a late 19th-century movie camera, ready to capture gentlemen of leisure misplacing their monocles or young women trying out the latest in hoop-skirt fashions. Have no fear, it works on modern subjects equally well! The app itself overlays videos with film grain effects and washes out the color. It also allows for customized title cards, film speed changes, and unique transitions. Better still, the website offers a variety of free ragtime tracks to liven up your creations.

With a collection of accolades to rival any film star, Splice is an aptly-named application for joining pictures and videos together into one continuous movie. Splice has lots of in-app purchases available for enhancing your personal flicks with sound effects, borders, etc, and the editing tools are designed to make a difficult job easier with features like drag-and-drop, the familiar Ken Burns effect and simple customization of title slides. The most recent update added support for HD video, great for quality but not-so-great for anyone not running a top-of-the-line device. Our advice, if you don’t have an iPhone 4 you won’t get the best performance from this app.

Tired of trying to line up images and stitch together photos? Then perhaps you need a way to take panoramic pictures. 360 Panorama is an app that promises quick and easy panoramic creations — just fire up the application, tap the screen and pan the camera across the horizon. Auto adjust for lighting, geotagging, and instant-upload for sharing online, on Facebook or via email. This app uses high-res images and processes panoramas in about 20 seconds so, while the developers suggest a device that is 3GS or better, you’re likely to get the best results from an iPhone 4 or iPad 2.

Cartoonatic – A whimsical app well suited to creative photographers, Cartoonatic transforms your photos and videos into a simulation of hand-drawn art. Whether you’re shooting some cartoon-style video on the go or convincing your friends that you belong in the Louvre of Crayons, Cartoonatic makes photo and video effects simple and fun.

There are quite a few editing applications to spice up your iPhone videos with cool effects—usually, though, you’re limited to one effect at a time. iMajiCam is an exception. Packed with 39 video effects and filters which can be layered, started or stopped in real time, and combined with frame effects to create a never-ending loop of movie magic. Use iMajiCam’s integrated social network features to share your remastered videos via Facebook, Flicker, Twitter, email and more.

Videolicious is a quick and effective video editing app. It allows the user to select and arrange video clips, and narrate them. Soundtrack music can be chosen from the iTunes library, or from included music. It doesn’t give full-featured video editing control, but the point is to be able to create a finished video in a short amount of time, and it accomplishes that. Videos can be uploaded to Facebook or YouTube from within the app, or posted with partners such as marthastewart.com. Read our review of Videolicious.

What fun are videos if you can’t share them with your adoring fans online? Vlix, a free video effects and sharing app from SpotMixer Inc., allows you to create a custom web stream of your videos and share it with anyone who wants to follow you. Included with this app is the full range of common effects, including slow motion, simulated thermal, and high contrast. This app is not a perfect solution for longer films, but for short, social clips, Vlix can’t be beat. This is your chance to become an internet sensation.

If you thought that 3G iPhone was useless without video, you’re in luck. Video Genius enables older generation users to record movies of varying lengths depending on your settings. After recording, the video will appear in the Photo Library where you can use the iPhone’s standard sharing features to send videos via email, etc. to family and friends.

It’s not free like the app above, but iCamcorder offers extras that some users may be willing to pay for. In addition to the ability to record video, this app also applies eleven different effects including the top favorites: black and white, pop art, old movie effect, etc. Take your recorded videos and download via WiFi or share on Facebook YouTube and Twitter.

What video apps do you use? Leave a comment and let us know about your favorite iPhone video apps for editing, special effects and sharing mobile movies!

app category: An App For That, Photography, Round-Up

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Stoned 3D Match Game Requires Speed and Accuracy

Ever feel like you’re just caught up in an app wonderland full of fun and goodness. Me too. Stoned 3D, my latest deliciously decadent app discovery, is a take on like what I feel is a game Fred Flintstone would try to school Barney on. A game of chess of sorts where strategy is your only trump card.

What does this mean? Simple. You need to understand the game to play, progress and succeed. Too much to the right or left and you’re back at the beginning. The key to success is a soft hand and a swift mind. Do you have what it takes?

As you launch Stoned 3D, you’ll see several options including the ability to play right away, connect with OpenFeint or GameCenter as well as follow the game developer on Twitter and Facebook. You can also checkout their other apps such as Tiny Zoo which is free and a blast to play.

My suggestion is to hit the play button and unleash the furry in Stoned 3D. In what seems to be a very simple “this shape of block goes in this shape of hole” game turns out to be a highly challenging “this is fast and difficult” game. It’s addictive and it’s fun. You’ll be frustrated on one hand and coming back for more on the other.

The game is laid out in a bi-level rock quarry where four cavemen chisel different rock shapes including a circle, square, triangle, plus, half moon and star and then push them over towards you. The point of Stoned 3D is to slide the matching hole and catch the falling boulders with the right shapes so you can keep the place nice and neat. At first, it’s easy. As you progress so does the speed at which they fall. To throw in a twist, there is a little dinosaur that pops up for you to tap for extra bonus points. Sometimes you’ll lose focus trying to tap him out and instead of extra points you’ll lose the game, so be careful.

The key to the entire shape-matching puzzle is to learn that the slider is actually a continuous slider, so no matter if you slide it right or left the holes are in the same exact pattern. This makes it easier to catch the stones when they’re falling faster as you can skip a few by simply continuing to slide left or right instead of stopping the slide and reversing.

Other than that, Stoned 3D is fairly simple in gameplay, but definitely a challenge as you progress. I recommend this game if you’re looking to push your gaming skills past an angry bird or two and want to learn a bit more about your geometrical shapes.

Watch Stoned 3D in Action

app category: Editor's Picks, Games, Strategy

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Absolute Instant iPhone Shooter Teleports Gamers to a New World

Boy meets girl, girl eats fruit, Celestians create an empire, take over the world with their mystical forces and oppress the children of Terrestrians for centuries. We’ve all heard this story before, right?

Designed to exploit the interactive controls of the iPhone, Absolute Instant is an excellent app that should pique the interest of both hardcore and casual gamers. It almost seems as if it’s an ode to “Kid Icarus” mixed in with a bit of the “1942” plane shooter classic. Of course, touching the screen back in the day only gave you smudges on the arcade glass, but now it teleports you out of danger.

The story follows closely to the beginning of man where Adam and Eve have a bit of conflict over the golden apple and Eve, full of greed after opening Pandora’s box, boots Adam out of Eden.

Eve starts an empire made up of Celestians, who have mystical forces. Adam starts his own empire made up of Terrestrians who, unfortunately, have no technological advantage to match against the Celeestians’ supernatural uprising.

After much research and centuries of the above mentioned oppression, the Adam’s clan discovers a breakthrough technology “Absolute Instant” or A.I. for short. This revolution brings about the ability to teleport oneself from one spot to another, finally giving the Terrestians a technological advantage over the Celestians.

With Absolute Instant in his arsenal, Adam vows to to fight back and equips an elite squad of A.I. Riders to end the war by destroying the origins of all things—the golden apple.

This is where you come in. After a short pre-story, you start the game as one of the A.I. Riders, but before you jump into the game, be sure to check out the tutorial that goes over user controls. The controls are very simple such as dragging your finger to move your ship and shaking the phone to activate a screen-cleaning bomb.

The real treat is the teleporting option, which is activated by touching the upper left teleporting meter. Your player will disappear and then once you tap the screen in a different area it will reappear in the selected area. This is great for getting out of tight spots, but be forewarned that not all enemies can be avoided.

Absolute Instant is an epic shooter that combines flying jets and apocalyptic creatures with a twist of teleporting yourself out of danger. Yes, teleporting. This app is an excellent addition to the iOS gaming platform for those who enjoy a good story, great action and even better weapons.

app category: Action, Adventure, Arcade, Games

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Lane Splitter is Motorbike Arcade iOS Fun

Lane Splitter is a fierce, fly by the seat of your pants arcade game that not only keeps you irratically tense throughout the gameplay, but keeps you coming back for more. And it’s also the reason why you don’t want to be pressed for time for your wedding.

That’s right, the story follows groom to be Jake Melton who has lost track of time and though he’s made mistakes throughout his life, being late to his wedding is not one of them. Hence, the reason you have to zoom through traffic on your speedy red motorbike like a crazed maniac. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot of fun and there are over 3 million downloads of this game to prove it.

Make sure eat your Wheaties and have a Red Bull before you launch Lane Splitter as you’ll need them to maneuver Jake through a fast-paced arcade action game where even Mr. Miyagi would be challenged with intense tight turns you have to make to ensure you survive to see your wedding.

The challenging aspect of this game is the high rate of velocity at which you speed through constantly changing traffic. It gets even more harry when “careless drivers” and “vehicle blind spots” try to ruin your white wedding.

I will say that the game is easy to get the hang of, but ultimately the point of the game is simple and the gameplay is quite difficult as you progress through the arcade iPhone and iPad game that is Lane Splitter.

The app reminds me of my days living in Los Angeles where I almost took out a few motorcycles in my day. After a few close calls I made sure to always be on the look out for them even when I was just sticking to one lane as they would always come out of nowhere.

Fortunately for you, Lane Splitter allows you to drive like a maniac without consequence in a beautifully rendered 3D environment that challenges your driving skills as well as puts your nerves to the limit. For this reason, Lane Splitter is an easy buy especially since it’s iPhone and iPad 2 and classic compatible for only $.99.

app category: Arcade, Editor's Picks, Games

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

FiLMiC Pro Brings Hollywood Video Features to iPhone

Hi, my name is Greg. “Hi Greg.” And I’m a film junkie (insert clapping sound). Good thing I’ve found another way to feed this addiction with FiLMiC Pro, an iPhone video app that allows you to select frame rates, resolutions and shooting modes.

I’ve been using it for the past few weeks and must say, the amount of control it gives you over your iPhone’s video capabilities turns your home videos into Hollywood feature films. And the fact that it was built by filmmakers ensures you’re getting an app that truly pushes the boundaries of the iPhone.

It’s interesting to me that there really hasn’t been an app like FiLMiC Pro until now. But I guess the industry has mostly been in panic mode to bring better, more full-featured photo apps to the market. And of course, video has just recently become a reality with the iPhone and now that the photo side is just about played out… it’s time for video. I’m assuming we’ll see a lot more apps like this over the next several months.

In the mean time, FiLMiC Pro is more than enough to feed your cinematic appetite. Even the app’s pistol grip camera icon is an ode to the days of cinema so you know you’re in for a real treat.

Upon opening the app you’re video is ready to be shot. However, there are several options and features you’ll want to customize before diving in to ensure a superb result. For instance, the dedicated video camera app gives you control over focus, exposure, white balance and in-camera light.

You’ll notice when you launch the app that there are two reticle’s (the two things on your screen). One is a square that is the movable focus reticle that allows you to manually move the focus point before or during video capture. This comes in very handy when you’re trying to focus on one subject and then change to another. The second one is a circle and is the movable exposure reticle that allows you to lock in where you want proper exposure.

Of course, you can combine this to single reticle mode that locks focus and exposure at the same time, but it’s not as fun that way.

You’ll also feel like a true director with the slate function. You know the thing that snaps as the director says action? Well, you have one now too. It also includes the snap sound for post syncing with an external audio system or multi-camera shoots. It also features data fields with selectable scene letters and take numbers. So if your actor just isn’t hitting his queue you might have to go up to take 35, scene one.

Now, for frame rates, I’ll just say that using 24fps is standard “film-like” quality for the US. I won’t go into the nitty gritty about why, but basically, it looks cool and doesn’t look like a home movie. Now, the iPhone is fairly limited due to its lens, but you’ll still see a difference.

Along with four selectable resolutions, the FiLMiC Pro video app allows you to run framing overlays for the different TV aspect ratios (choose wide for more film-like) as well as gives you the rule of threes guide for composition. It also has audio metering and color bars for post production.

After you’ve shot your masterpieces, FiLMiC Pro allows you to upload to DropBox, YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and an FTP Server. With an app like this, you’ll probably be taking footage, saving for later and then editing, but if you’re just that good and can take in one shot and upload you can do it.

If you’re a videophile, enjoy customizing your videos and like the film-like look, you’ll very much enjoy FiLMiC Pro. You’ll be hard pressed to find this many features packed into one app for the price making this a must buy app.

app category: Editor's Picks, Photography

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Banjo Tames Social Networking on Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, etc.

Is social networking reaching a tipping point? With Facebook’s recent slump in North American growth, one is lead to believe that we as a society might be overwhelmed with the amount of options within the space. Think about it. Between Twitter, Foursquare, Facebook, Gowalla, etc. nobody has time to truly connect with everyone, all the time and on all sites. It’s a social mess.

What if there was an app to rule them all?

Enter, Damien Patton, veteran of Desert Storm, former professional racecar driver and now CEO of Banjo, the new social discovery service. Of course, like most useful inventions, Banjo was born out of necessity. A missed connection with a friend that happened to be at the same airport, in the same terminal and at the same time, but Patton didn’t find that out until he got home.

With the ever-growing amount of social clutter, the next big trend isn’t a new social network, but rather a way to make sense of the chaos. I liken Banjo to Google in that Google tames web content into an easy to use search engine. Banjo uses this same idea to ensure you’re in the know about your social network in the convenience of one app.

“Every day, people use mobile phones to access social networks to connect with the world around them. With so much activity, it’s hard to connect the dots between all the information being shared. Banjo was created with this in mind.” remarked Patton.

Now, as of today, the app allows you to send tweets straight from the app, but only view your friends’ updates from Facebook, Foursquare and Gowalla. The company plans to integrate two-way communication with the other social sites as they continue to grow.

Banjo is truly epic in that it can be used to interact with your friends around you or with anybody, anywhere. The social discovery app allows you to zoom in and out of different places such as Apple in Cupertino. I was poking around for the latest gossip, but was only able to find some guy working out at the Apple Fitness Center. Maybe he left the iPhone 5 behind.

“Banjo provides a layer of intelligence on top of existing networks so people can easily discover friends and new people or places around them, regardless of what social network they are on,” said Patton.

Think of the marketing possibilities Banjo could have. Say your client is offering a discount in a certain store in a certain city. Dial into that city and connect directly with people in real time in that area. Genius.

“Banjo is poised to take social discovery well beyond the technology currently available. We are so impressed with Banjo’s innovation and the quality of user-experience, and look forward to supporting their continued growth as they take social exploration to the next level,” said John Malloy, partner at BlueRun Ventures, initial investors in Banjo.

The user interface is simple, yet very robust. Once you open the app, you’re shown the closet 16 people based on latest status updates. You can easily customize who you see (show all, friends or favorites) in the settings tab. You don’t even need to sign into any of your social networks. You can just let your curious eyes wonder. However, I recommend signing into the various social networks under the social tab to see what your friends are up to.

Click on the map for a quick view of who is doing what in your area. Zoom out and find other areas that might be fun to check out, i.e. Paris, Hong Kong, etc. If you like what you see, simply tap the places tab in the upper left and then add favorite place to drop a pin and name your location for easy revisiting. You can also set your nearby notification parameters such as miles and recency of activity within this tab.

Banjo’s ability to bring calm to the social networking chaos that seems to be taking over our daily lives just might be the next big thing.

app category: An App For That, Breaking News, Social Networking

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Panoramic City Views USA is Google Earth for XIX Century

Historical Society eat your heart out, the Panoramic City Views USA iPad app is by far one of the most interesting ways to travel back in time to yesteryear and experience America as it was over a 100 years ago. With up to 400 megapixels of historical detail for intense zooming, the iPad app is the equivalent to Google Earth back in the XIX century complete with street view because of the amount of detail.

I remember being at the top of the formerly named Sears Tower and found the incredible views very interesting not just for the sky line, but also to see how the city was laid out in a grid pattern. It spoke to the history of how the city was planned. Looking through the telescope also allowed me to check out the city streets from a birds-eye view and try to picture how it used to look, which I feel is where the Panoramic City Views USA app becomes very handy.

Also, I’ve done a lot of travel in my time and always find interesting tours to take such as the Seattle Underground Tour, Portland Underground Walk and even the Architectural Kayaking Tour in Chicago. The tours are the true way to learn a city’s history. Well, that and having older relatives from those areas. But the drawback is that while you hear about the history you only see the present, which is tomorrow’s yesterday, but I digress.

Panoramic City Views USA allows you to go past the facade of the current city and experience how cities like Seattle, San Jose, Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago looked liked at the turn of the XIX century.

Once you launch the app, simply select a city and the map is loaded almost instantaneously. Sure you can go to the Library of Congress to check these out, but for only $2.99, pinching and zooming is a bit more realistic than packing and traveling.

The maps have a large amount of high-resolution details and can easily be zoomed in and out via the pinch and zoom motion gestures, which should only get better with the new iOS 5 release this fall. Information such as year is in the upper right corner and you can find the name of the city and date the map was drawn under the info button.

Traveling to a city and exploring their current infrastructure unveils a lot of history of where the city evolved from, who it was built for and why it still exists. However, the Panoramic City Views USA historical map app is the only way to easily access all 50 maps in one location and truly experience the old time America that you’ve most likely only heard about from your great grandparents.

app category: Editor's Picks, Lifestyle, Travel

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

iOS 5 Cuts Cord, adds Location-Based Reminders and Notification Center

TigerMe Club is Much More than Just How-To Dating App for Guys

TigerMe Club recently went on sale from $9.99 to $.99 and so my curiosity got the best of me. While I’m a happily to-be husband and father, I was very interested to check out the content and see if this “for men only” swagger app was worth the $9.99 regular price tag.

So for this review I’m going to be resurrecting my bachelor days and pulling from the days where I needed a bit of help finding the right girl. Who knows, maybe if I had this app back in the day I would have bypassed a few stepping stones. Maybe.

Let’s first define what TigerMe Club is not. It is not a simple app full of a bunch of cheesy one-liners to pick up a bunch of one night stands.

The TigerMe Club app is better described as not only an icebreaker app, but a toolset of insider knowledge to help better position you for opening up a conversation with the girl that just passed by you on the sidewalk or who is sitting alone at the local coffee shop.

It’s a dating life tips book that holds the key to unlocking your potential. Seriously, it is. I mean, not every time do most guys feel comfortable talking to the hot chick in the room for fear of rejection and a lot of the times they don’t want to ask their buddies how they approach the situation for fear of embarrassment. That’s why magazines like Men’s Fitness, GQ, etc. exist. It’s a way to get information to prep yourself to be the best person you can be. The articles are usually first-hand experiences and this TigerMe Club is no different. It’s a combination of tops that have been tested countless times from their panel of users.

They describe it as the ultimate social and dating advisor for single men who are looking for a girlfriend or just want to date around first. It is a very comprehensive “chick guide” if you will that doesn’t just tell you to buy the lady a few drinks and your set. Rather, it starts with the basics and actually walks you through several areas of how you can improve and prepare before hitting the dating scene.

For instance, the Basics of Success chapter that points out that dreaming is a good thing, but that you need to break down those dreams into several attainable objectives to achieve long-term success. It goes over how to document, track and create a 3-month plan that will consist of short-term goals and work towards achieving your dream.

TigerMe Club then brings you into your plan further with Goal Setting and Motivation, which outlines the steps to setting goals and talks about the seven habits of highly effective people such as proactiveness, visualizing the prize, etc. and details each item.

The app then goes into self-discipline, effective learning, knowing yourself and identity and mindset and that’s just one portion of the app called Recipe for Success.

The amount of information in the TigerMe Club really is quite useful, especially the bit on communication and meeting people. The app truly gives you a foundation to succeed in not only meeting new ladies, but presenting your best self. It’s almost like a self-help book, but better. The app gets even more useful with the chapters on dating, networking and relationships, which is worth the $9.99 itself.

All of the knowledge base gets you ready for the Meeting, Advisor and Coach tabs, which give you scenarios for possible meet cutes as well as advises on different scenerios such as what to do before you go out, text, call, etc. The coaching portion is like your high school football coach, only better as metaphorically speaking he’s trying to get you to the end zone, but without all of the wind sprints. Although, a bit of exercise will go a long way in building your confidence.

For those who want to master all aspects of the dating scene, there is a special Club tab that if you use the TigerMe Club app enough will eventually be unlocked and allow you to checkout the secret chamber. Apparently, there is some great advice within the chamber, but I’ll never know.

For those single guys wanting to improve their self image, self confidence and work towards dating quality women, TigerMe Club is just for you. I even recommend it for men who are just trying to better themselves too. But make sure to not let your significant other see it or they might think something is up.

TigerMe Club YouTube Tutorial

app category: An App For That, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Social Networking

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Race to Glory in HD With GT Racing: Motor Academy

When it comes to the expanding lineup of games on the iPad, GT Racing: Motor Academy HD proves once again that the racing genre outshines the rest.

GT Racing: Motor Academy is another excellent option and should especially appeal to automotive purists. This game requires one go through the steps of earning a license, buying a car, gaining sponsorships and improving performance over time. The details about the kinds of cars, making upgrades and crawling up through the racing circuit mean patience and will not be for those who want the quick, time-killing game that many iOS games are. But those who are willing to invest the time in it will be rewarded with a deep, true racing experience. 

The racing events are separated into four categories. The performances determine the kind of money and car prizes that can be won. Begin one of the circuits to race toward glory, with additional wins providing cash for better cars and upgrades.

GT Racing: Motor Acadamy HD is a racer’s game. Players who have a sizable amount of knowledge about car brands and their particular strengths will enjoy upgrading to a BMW, Porsche or choosing from other higher-end cars. In fact, there are 25 manufacturers and 111 licensed cars in all. Of course, doing so requires finding success in the different racing circuits.

The game begins with earning a Class “C” license, which is done by passing a series of driving tests. The player must brake within the proper amount of time or pass other racers to demonstrate racing prowess. The challenges when going for the higher-level licenses can get quite challenging.

Like other racing games, GT Racing: Motor Academy is controlled by tilting the iPad like a steering wheel. A gas pedal and brake pad are on-screen to control those functions of the car. Driving feels really smooth and brings the game to life. If for some reason the default calibration settings don’t feel right, they can be tweaked through the menu.

Those who want to challenge others can play GT Racing: Motor Academy over a network or compete online. A growing number of iOS games are adding multiplayer capabilities, and this is a solid implementation. Players can log in or create an account to Gameloft’s network to get started.

While there is definitely a learning curve, GT Racing: Motor Academy HD is a worthy entry to the racing genre for the iPad. Users who invest the time will be glad they did.

app category: Editor's Picks, Games, Racing Games

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Google Mobile Redesigned for the iPhone

Google unveiled an iPhone friendly version of the search engine. The new page gives you an easier access to the search box and the search results are easier to use. A navigation bar has also been added at the top of the page, and it has direct links to Gmail, Calendar, Reader and More (Docs, SMS, GOOG-411, News, Photos, Blogger and Notebook).


It looks like Google is jumping on the iPhone bandwagon big time. I can't wait to see if they are going to use the Apple SDK, and design applications for the iPhone?

Seriously though, an iPhone optimized Google search engine will make the iPhone browser even more attractive than it is already. Google's recent move could be called win-win-win situation: Google will get more traffic from a mobile device, the iPhone will become even more user-friendly, and the end user will benefit from all this. Cool!

Only thing missing? A Google bookmark on the home page.

Apple slapped with iPhone patent suit

A company that holds patents relating to a 'visual voicemail' system is suing Apple and a host of telecoms companies for hundreds of millions of dollars.

The lawsuit was filed by Klausner Technologies in the US Court for the Eastern District of Texas, and asks for $360m from Apple and AT&T.

The suit also names Skype, Comcast and Cablevision Systems as having breached US Patents 5,572,576 and 5,283,818 and asks for $300m in damages from each company.

New York-based Klausner Technologies claims that the patent infringements concern internet voicemail services.

"The iPhone violates Klausner's intellectual property rights by allowing the user to selectively retrieve voice messages via the iPhone's inbox display," said the company in an official statement.

Klausner Technologies sued AOL for $200m in 2005 over its voice platform technology, eventually settling the case and licensing it to AOL.

Vonage settled a similar case in October this year over its Voicemail Plus, when Klausner granted Vonage a patent license for an undisclosed sum.

"We have litigated this patent successfully on two prior occasions," said Greg Dovel, counsel for Klausner Technologies at law firm Dovel & Luner.

"With the signing of each new licensee, we continue to receive further confirmation of the strength of our visual voicemail patents."

Apple Updates iPod Touch and iPhone

Although Apple is closing security holes with the update, hackers have kept opening up the devices.

Apple has released, only through their iTunes application, a 1.1.2 system update for the iPhone and the iPod Touch.

This addressed an "ImageIO" vulnerability that could allow the execution of malicious code through the viewing of a doctored TIFF image, according to Apple.
The malicious TIFF image could cause a buffer overflow that could either crash an application or run code, according to Apple's technical note on the issue.
The problem, Apple said, affects not only the iPhone and iPod Touch with version 1.1.1 software, but also the desktop Mac OS X systems before versions 10.3.9 and 10.4.7 with Security Update 2006-004. Mac OS X 10.4.8 and later are not affected.
The 1.1.2 update also provides an icon in the iTunes source list signifying that the iPhone or iPod Touch's battery is charging. Other changes in the update include: support for event creation; editing in the iPod Touch's Calendar application; separate Custom and Standard ring tone lists; and more support for international languages.

This update breaks AppSnapp, one previous method of "jailbreaking,"—that is, hacking the iPod Touch and iPhone to enable users to place new applications on the main screen.
Users who have installed AppSnapp and then updated to v1.1.2 have said that this does not "brick" their devices, but does remove the installed applications.
However, one group, Conceited Software, has released a jailbreak method for the iPod Touch and iPhone with the 1.1.2 software. Their donationware solution does require users first to restore their devices to the 1.1.1 software and install some software, then update to 1.1.2, and then run the final jailbreak.
Apple representatives could not be reached for comment.

Skype Comes to iPhone

Skype for iPhone is now available, thanks to Shape Services' IM+ Web application.

Shape Services on Monday announced IM+ for Skype for iPhone, a Web application that enables iPhone users to access the Skype messaging and Voice over IP (VoIP) network.
IM+ for Skype for iPhone follows the release of similar software for other mobile platforms like BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Symbian and J2ME devices. The software taps in to your Skype account, enabling you to make voice calls using SkypeOut credits.
The application works on any network, according to Shape, and doesn't specifically require Wi-Fi.

iPhone 1.1.2 Update... Wow?

I know the update will arrive in iTunes shortly, but I can't wait... I guess. 10,000 folks reportedly purchased an iPhone in Germany yesterday, with 1.1.2 already on it, while we veterans in the U.S. are still waiting. We can't have that. I've also been talking to a couple buds in the UK about the buzz over there as it's being released. It sounds pretty familiar and similar, but it sounds like Germany has them beat.

I've been jazzed about the rumors that the update will include a voice memo function, which, to me, is huge. But as I'm waiting for this download, I'm reading from folks who have installed it, that say there is no voice memo feature. They also report no storage feature as well. So... international keyboards is basically it? This is what we're all buzzing about?...

Apple, give us something! Why are we waiting for Voice Memos? How about being able to simply create your own e-mail boxes for keeping/organizing incoming e-mails? These are the basics for a unit like this, in my view. I've been working on different ways to stream audio & video to the iPhone, which is an incredibly cool thing to be able to do, but I still can't create a mailbox?

Is there any good reason for this, other than torture, that I'm not seeing? Steve... I'm sure you've heard, we don't torture. Or was it... no, wait... that's correct.

Well, I suppose we should recognize that it's not 1.2, or 2.0... it's 1.1.2. So far though, it sounds kindof like 1.1.1.1.1.1......2.

There are some rumors today about the OS seeming snappier though. That would be nice I suppose. We'll see if that seems to be the case and will report it to you. Please let us know what your experiences are the first week or two with the update.

I wonder if the reason it's not yet available on iTunes is that there may be different versions still in the works, but they had to get one out for the European release Friday. Otherwise, why would adding it to iTunes take so long? So I think I'll wait 'till I see it in iTunes. Has anyone written a script that automatically clicks the "Check For Update" button every 30 seconds?

The iPhone reviewed

The iPhone's technology is amazing, especially the touchscreen - but being locked to O2 is a worry.

Underneath its sleek exterior and slick advertising, the iPhone relies heavily on a single piece of technology.

Such dependence could be a weakness, but here it's a strength because - to put it simply - the touchscreen is years ahead of anything else on the market. Wave a digit and your contacts scroll by; flick a finger and your pictures fly past. Even for old hands, the accuracy and intuitiveness of the interface should provide a few jaw-dropping moments.

Elsewhere, the software seems equally well crafted: phone calls, SMS and email are straightforward and the iPod functions work well. Even the on-screen virtual keypad - a potential bugbear for those used to hammering real buttons - is intelligent enough to get you texting at a respectable speed.

Wi-Fi access is a doddle, and the Safari browser renders websites beautifully - although sometimes it feels like the web got shrunk in the wash.

There are a few bugs and annoyances, however; the inability to send an SMS to more than one person, or the under-powered 2 megapixel camera. The 8GB memory limit won't raise a smile from music fans, nor will the recessed headphone socket which forces you to use Apple's earbuds.

The biggest problem, though, is the phone network itself. While the call plans available are fairly competitive, the fact that you're running on O2's mobile system makes the trip a little less enjoyable. O2 insists that it is rolling out faster Edge networking where it can, but it's tough to get any reception at all in many places - Edge or otherwise.

It's the iPhone's overall approach to mobile phones that will probably have a lasting influence, however. As the mobile revolution took hold, we all became used to wrestling with the deficiencies of our handsets. But the iPhone cuts through that predictable haze of awkward moments and messy menus: somehow, almost, it is as if Apple has wrangled the cats back into the bag.

Arthur C Clarke's third law of prediction says that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic", and - for all its solid engineering - it's the little flourishes that make the iPhone a joy to use. At £269 plus an 18-month contract with O2, it is far from cheap, but even if you decide not to buy one, chances are that in a few years every mobile will have a little of Apple's magic dust sprinkled on it.

Is the iPhone music to your ears?

Apple's rise from the ashes is largely down to the success of the iPod. But how does the new iPhone fare as a media player? Find out in our extended iPhone review.

The piece of the iPhone puzzle which will be most familiar to many potential buyers is the one which has helped turn Apple from a computer brand to a consumer electronics company: the iPod.

Tucked inside the iPhone is, essentially, an iPod Touch with 8GB of Flash memory. Anyone who has used a Touch – released before the iPhone outside of the US – will already have a very good idea of what the handset offers.

The iPod functions can be launched straight from a dedicated button on the bottom right of the home screen, taking you straight into your media library. Nothing revolutionary here – basic navigation is by playlist, artist or song – but, like your contacts list, it is easy to zip through an extensive selection by using your finger to flick through the list.

The touchscreen is, once again, used to simplify the way you find your way through your information. It's also where Cover Flow, the visual navigation tool which Apple bought into iTunes last year, finally comes into its own.

Rolling the iPhone onto its side while in iPod mode will launch Cover Flow, a horizontal sequence of record sleeves that you can speed through with your fingertips. Just tap the cover you want in order to see what music's available, and start listening.

This method of looking through your library always seemed like a luxurious but ultimately pointless bauble to iTunes on a desktop computer – but here, with the addition of a touchscreen, it becomes a very usable way to browse your music library.

Once your music is playing, you can switch the screen off with the button on the top of the iPhone and listen away to your heart's content. Basic interactions can without having to switch the screen back on – volume is controllable with the buttons on the side, and using the bundled earbuds, which are better quality than Apple's older ones, you can pause the music or skip tracks (the earbuds also have a microphone incorporated for use as a hands-free kit).

This is where the gadget picks up another black mark, however, since the recessed headphone socket - which sits about half an inch inside the top of the iPhone - means that it's almost impossible to plug your own cans in. I prefer to listen on the go with a pair of bulky but non-leaky headphones, but they don't fit into the snug space for the jack.

The quality of listening is a familiar experience, and though a portable MP3 player is never likely to capture the full sweep of sound quality, it does make a fair job of the task in hand.

And another word of warning: if you don't have the headphones plugged in, the iPhone plays audio over its built-in speaker. The volume doesn't go dangerously loud, but it's still probably classified as Asbo-worthy.

There's enough capacity for around 2,000 songs, which will be plenty for casual users – those who use existing music phones or lower-capacity iPods - but is likely to disappoint hardcore music fans. I found myself wanting a little more space; and not just for music.

That's because, more than any of Apple's previous media players, you'll probably be tempted to use the iPhone for watching moving images as well as listening to music. As well as the direct link to YouTube content, the iPhone offers you the chance to watch your iTunes video downloads, podcasts and movies or TV shows that you've added.

Flip the handset onto its side and (where available) your films switch from portrait to landscape mode, essentially giving you a bite-sized widescreen. Navigation is quick – three obvious clicks from the home screen – and Image quality is generally good, and you can through the latest Hollywood blockbuster without destroying the battery.

A couple of small additions also make. You can buy music directly over a Wi-Fi connection using the built-in iTunes store. Download speed is the same as you would expect to your computer, and when you next login on your desktop machine, it will add the new music to your iTunes library.

Integration with some of the gadget's other functions, meanwhile, is smooth: tunes fade out for a phone call (rather than stopping abruptly) and fade back in when you hang up. It's just a little touch, but one that's meant to remind you that this is not just a handful of different gadgets thrown willy nilly into one box.

Incorporating the iPod functions inside the handset makes this one of the best music phones on the market, which – given the complexity of using some rivals isn't as hard as it should be. But aside from the touch-based bells and whistles, the iPhone doesn't offer a massive leap forward for the iPod family... making it a great, but not remarkable, media player.

Will O2 woes burst the iPhone's bubble?

Apple has talked up the iPhone as the dawn of a new era in the mobile internet. But does it stand up to the test? Find out in the second part of our extended review.

One of the iPhone's plays is that it's great for browsing the web: Apple has made much of talk of the handset as a "breakthrough internet device".
Having used a number of other Wi-Fi enabled handsets, it's true that the iPhone beats them hands down for simplicity. Finding a wireless network doesn't take an ounce of effort – it's automatic – and once you're logged on to a network, you should never have to do it again. I surfed without any difficulty at home and in the office, as well as in coffee shops, pubs and simply walking down the street.
The trade-off of having to use Wi-Fi instead of 3G (which isn't supported by the iPhone) is made a little easier if you spend a lot of time near a hotspot operated by The Cloud, the wireless provider that has struck a deal with Apple and O2 to offer unlimited access to any iPhone customer. Most of us, however, will use the wireless access in a more limited way.
Still, it's surprisingly good on battery life: even with heavy browsing, listening to music and making calls, the phone managed to come through the test period on just a few charges and without dying once. Here Apple has the chance to benefit from harnessing iPod behaviour such as the nightly docking ritual.
Once you're logged on, you'll want to take a trip around the web. The on-board browser, Safari, renders sites clearly and relatively quickly. Gone are the days of Wap: instead we have something that tries, not entirely successfully, to bridge the gap between desktop web browsing and small screen surfing.
When it works, pages look beautiful: double tap to zoom in (the phone smartly understands CSS and fills your screen with the contents of a column), or use the now-famous pinching technique to pick your spot. You can even flip the phone onto its side to turn the web around for a landscape format - but it can't get away from the fact that sometimes looking at a big web page on this screen can be a disconcerting experience, like turning up to a Victorian circus to see a homunculus of the internet.
Little additions such as very straightforward bookmarking and tabs are the sort of thing you struggle to find on other phones, and you can share links via email with a couple of clicks.
Some of the other web services offered on the phone are also intriguing: Google Maps, for example, could be a clincher for road warriors. Clunkier flavours are available on other devices, but the iPhone variety offers a neat and swift service for maps and directions.
Other web widgets turn out to be more of a mixed bag, however. The YouTube video viewer is OK - if you're into watching outtakes and dodgy TV rips. For example - top of the charts at the time of writing was a one-minute video of a laughing baby. The iTunes Wi-Fi store works perfectly well – and integrates nicely with your desktop computer - but it doesn't yet deliver podcasts to you, which would have been a useful stopgap solution for iPhone radio.
The lack of rabid small investors in the UK, meanwhile, means it's hard to imagine many Brits using the stock market viewer (conveniently pre-loaded to show you Apple's ever-increasing share price). Coupled with the Google Maps logo – which carries an American-style road sign – it feels as if a bit more time thinking about the needs of the locals would have been well spent.
This is the area of embedded applications is where the iPhone has room to stretch its legs, and where hackers have been enjoying themselves. Unfortunately Apple has kept things locked down for the British model: there's still no support for Flash, and everything has to happen through the browser itself. When the iPhone launched initially, it spoke in mealy-mouthed terms about Safari as the interface for applications – that roughly translates as "build web pages if you want to design for the iPhone". And although Apple has announced it will be releasing a development kit for programmers in January, it also feels like double talk.
There are some intriguing possibilities for the future, though. Simply having integrated Wi-Fi offers a number of options itself – such as voice over internet calling, ala Skype, or perhaps internet radio or TV.
For now, however, those outside a Wi-Fi zone – or in parts of Britain where hotspot density is much lower than in the middle of our major cities - are restricted to using O2's network.
That includes the now-infamous Edge standard, a sub-3G speed network that's not heavily used by British customers. O2 is spending lavishly on updating its network to incorporate Edge, which Apple says is the best trade-off between and speed and battery life. In fairness, where Edge is available it does offer faster downloads – never snappy, but sometimes quick enough.
However the breadth of delivery remains too limited, and I found plenty of black spots around the country where getting any sort of O2 signal – let alone an Edge one – was an impossible task.
It's a bitter pill to swallow, but until somebody hacks the latest software update, there's little option.

iCame, iSaw, iPhoned

We've been waiting for months for the iPhone's arrival on these shores. But has the wait been worthwhile?

Our full review explores the handset that's arriving on November 9 - first up, the exterior and using it as a mobile phone.


There are two sorts of people in the world: those who have played with an iPhone, and those who haven't. It sounds a bit like a bad joke, but – for now, at least – there's a grain of truth in it.

After months of waiting for Apple's flagship to land in the UK, we're finally going to get it this Friday. In the meantime, the hype cycle seems to have gone full circle: first excitement at the US launch, then disappointment with the lack of third-party support, a backlash from some quarters, and finally tentative excitement again.

Most of the comments were thrown out by people who fell into the second group (those who hadn't played with an iPhone) and, thanks to Apple's restrictions on mobile networks, none of them came from people who had actually used a fully-functioning iPhone in Britain. But for the past few weeks, however, the Guardian has been testing a British iPhone – with all the bells and whistles on O2's network. So what's the UK iPhone like?

For a start, it's pretty familiar. A software update delivers a few minor changes – more international language support, some security fixes and so on – but if you've seen or used an American iPhone, then you know exactly what you're getting. Similarly, anyone who's had their hands on an iPod Touch will also have a good idea of what to expect.

For those who have only seen the pictures or been barraged by the advertising, though, it's worth taking a look around.

On the outside, there's little debate that the iPhone looks good. It's a typical minimalist gadget, all polished black and silver. It has just one button on the front, complimented by a volume control and silent mode switch on the side, with a headphone socket and the on/off switch on top.

As a phone it's thin enough, but a little longer than desired. It's been sitting in my pocket for the past two weeks, but hasn't yet really become comfortable to carry.

You can blame any unwieldiness on the screen, which is about the size of a credit card and one of the crucial weapons in Apple's armoury. That's because multitouch technology is the soul of the iPhone, informing everything you do – and because is it so far superior to anything else on the market right now.

Place a digit on the surface and the phone recognises it instantly; stroke a finger sideways and the device responds exactly how you would expect. No fudges or "good enough" answers here: nothing else comes close.

The screen itself is bright and crisp, but far from invulnerable to scratches. Although it's more robust than some of the earlier iPod models, it's certainly not tough enough to be treated with a carefree attitude: this is a gadget that demands protection.

The touch interface draws you in right from the start, with the "slide to unlock" mechanism that starts you using your iPhone.

Steve Jobs calls it three devices in one, and in a sense he's right. Despite the services – phone, internet, iPod – often being interlinked, the different functions of the iPhone feel quite separate, each of them used in a slightly different way.

The phone functions are more or less bog standard: call and text. You can use an on-screen keypad to dial numbers, or access the contacts list and use fast fingered scrolling to zip through your numbers with ease. A couple of other little touches make life more bearable too, such as text messages appearing in chat-like conversation format.

Elsewhere, if you need to look something else up while on the line, an on-screen button allows you to flip straight back to your conversation – no more accidental hang-ups. Conference calling is easy (you can patch incoming calls straight into your existing one) and "visual voicemail" – where you can zip backwards and forwards inside your messages – is an improvement of kind, not just degree.

There are some bizarre omissions that have yet to be fixed – the iPhone has no support for picture messaging, for example, and it still doesn't allow texts to be sent to multiple contacts. The feeling still comes across from time to time that this is a phone built for the American market, or with standards so lofty that it sometimes finds it difficult to remember the basics.

On the subject of SMS, it's worth examining the keyboard – one of the iPhone's most controversial elements. Gone is the old number keypad or the Qwerty buttons, ditched in favour of a touch-sensitive onscreen replacement. This has plenty of doubters, and they're not entirely wrong, but Apple has done a lot of work to try and mitigate.

It's certainly a league ahead of other devices I've used, where the buttons were nigh on impossible to hit for those who aren't trained marksmen. Typing is helped by the intelligent predictive text and intuitive auto-correct function, and you won't have to spend any dreary afternoons training the dictionary.

A few extra additions would have improved life, but remain absent: all punctuation remains on a secondary screen (not even a solitary full stop or comma is close at hand) and the inability to customise the keyboard could prove irritating for those who have peculiar needs.

I doubt hardcore BlackBerry addicts will ever achieve the speeds they can manage with a Qwerty keyboard – after all, a good typist can feel when they've made a mistake just from the position of the keys under their fingers – but after a few days of use I was pretty happy with my abilities.

iPhone Family: 1 389 000 Members and Counting!

Apple announced the financial results for its 2007 last quarter ended September 29, 2007. Boring? Maybe, but besides learning that Apple generated over $24 billion in revenue and $3.5 billion in net income, we learned that the company ended their fiscal year with $15.4 billion in cash and no debt. Not bad for a company that was dying 10 years ago. This cash gives them a lot of room to work on new versions of these toys that we like so much.

Talking about toys, they've sold 10,200,000 iPods during the quarter, representing 17 percent growth over the year-ago quarter. Quarterly iPhone sales were 1,119,000, bringing cumulative fiscal 2007 sales to 1,389,000.

What is your bet for fiscal year 2008 (October 2007 – September 2008)? Mine is 50 million iPods and 12 million iPhones.