Archive for August, 2010

GTA: Chinatown Wars HD Coming to the iPad on September 9

By / August 31, 2010 / No Comments

It’s no secret–we’ve got a whole lotta love for Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars for the iPhone. So much so, that when we reviewed it back in January, we had no choice but to prop it up with a coveted Editor’s Choice Award. Playing the iPhone version of the game, it’s easy to lose track of time thanks to the GTA Chinatown Wars’ user-friendly controls, awesome cell shaded graphics and excellent missions and storyline. To put it bluntly, being a drug dealing scumbag has never been more fun.

Just imagine how excited we were to discover that all of the criminal shoot ’em up goodness we’ve come to adore on the iPhone version of the game is being embiggened and refined for consumption on the iPad! That’s right: RockStar Games has announced that Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD will be available for for purchase from the iTunes App Store on September 9.

In addition to the extra screen real estate afforded to us by the iPad, we’ll also be able to enjoy updated high-definition graphics that have been designed to make your iPad-based crime spree that much sweeter. As with it’s handheld counterpart, GTA Chinatown Wars HD boasts 50 satisfying missions that allow you to follow the adventures of the game’s protagonist Huang Lee as he works his way through Liberty City’s criminal element looking to solve the murder of his father.

Needless to say, we’re stoked, and if the game’s iPad version is anywhere near as impressive as its iPhone counterpart, you should be too!

News

Video: The iPad Orchestra Makes Beautiful Music

By / August 31, 2010 / No Comments

The iPad Orchestra

Who says that the iPad is about consuming content rather than creating it? Don’t tell that to The iPad Orchestra, a group of four musicians who got together to make beautiful music together using only their iPads.

Cult of Mac is reporting on the musical stylings of The iPad Orchestra, a group of four musicians who got together this year with an eye toward advancing digital mobile music. For their first performance — documented via the embedded YouTube video below — they used a new iPad .99 app called Seline HD by Amidio Inc.

iPad Orchestra closeup

Since the quartet all play the same device with different instruments on each iPad, they appear in black T-shirts with the name of the instrument they’re performing — clarinet, cello, flute and violin. The HD video is nicely shot and edited from a live performance on August 20, 2010.

So what did the quartet choose for their debut number? Ilya Plauvonov’s “Sweet Dreams,” which is certainly a beautiful composition, but as Cult of Mac notes, maybe a little too “soothing” for early in the day.

You can keep up to date with The iPad Orchestra’s performances on their website, which is still in development. Meanwhile, on with the show!

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

(Video courtesy of Cult of Mac)

News

App Store Milestone Reached: 250,000 Available

By / August 31, 2010 / No Comments

appstorebadge

Expect Apple CEO Steve Jobs to make mention of something else in addition to the impending iPod refresh on Wednesday.  Apple hit 250,000 apps available within the App Store over the weekend.  The number continues to grow as well.

Last Saturday, 148Apps had noted that 252,227 apps were currently available for the taking for the iPad and iPhone/iPod touch.

How does that compare to other app offerings out there?  Well, unofficial numbers show that there are currently over 100,000 apps within the Android Store, and a wee bit smaller 9,000 within RIM’s BlackBerry App World.

Other notes of interest that 148Apps discovered, was that apps typically wait about a week before they go live.  Also, the average price that one shells out of an app is about US.67.  Finally, the majority of apps are book apps (don’t mix it up with iBooks), with games closely tagging behind.

via TUAW

Follow this article’s author, Matthew Tilmann on Twitter

 

News

The Oatmeal Explains the Way We All Feel About Apps

By / August 31, 2010 / No Comments

We love The Oatmeal‘s comics. Not only do we like his style of cartooning, but we also love that his comics are so right on about life. Take this blog post for instance, entitled “This is how I feel about buying apps.”

We’ll include the last comic panel for you just for effect, but head over to the site to see the blog/comic post in it’s entirety.


Follow this article’s author, Florence Ion, on Twitter.

News

AutoDesk Bringing AutoCAD Back to The Mac and iOS Devices

By / August 31, 2010 / No Comments


Click to embiggen

The industry standard for architectural designers and architects, AutoCAD has been a Windows only affair since the 90s. AutoDesk’s announcement brings the CAD application OS X faithful.

Built from the ground up for OS X, the native app includes many Mac interface bits we’ve come to expect, including the use of Cover Flow and Multi-Touch gestures on MacBooks and with the Magic Trackpad.


Click to embiggen

“The release of AutoCAD for Mac marks the return of professional design and engineering software to the Mac platform and an important convergence of power and design. Over 5000 customers have helped develop this product through our beta program and they are delighted to have the choice of a native Mac version of AutoCAD,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice president, Autodesk Platform Solutions and Emerging Business.

AutoDesk isn’t the only company excited about the news. Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller said, “Apple is thrilled that Autodesk is bringing AutoCAD back to the Mac and we think it’s the perfect combination for millions of design and engineering professionals, the AutoCAD WS app is a bold new idea, a mobile version of industry-leading design software for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, the world’s most innovative mobile devices.”


Click to embiggen

In addition to the Mac native application, AutoDesk also announced a free iOS app called AutoCAD WS that will allow AutoCAD users to edit and share their designs on the go. Files are uploaded to a server in the cloud, and can be collaborated on in real-time with multiple users. 

AutoCAD for the Mac will be available this fall.

 

Follow this article’s author, Roberto Baldwin on Twitter.

 

News

China Unicom Now Offering In-Store Jailbreaking

By / August 30, 2010 / No Comments

It’s no secret that Apple has been on the offensive about jailbreaking. Even after the act of jailbreaking a phone was declared legal, Apple still notes that jailbreaking your iPhone will void the warranty. This, however, isn’t stopping China Unicom. The iPhone retailer is now offering one-stop jailbreaking–in the store!

The retail locations also helping users install apps after the process has finished, and they can also trim down your SIM card so that it will fit in the iPhone 4’s micro-SIM tray. Because the iPhone 4 is not yet available in China, this service might be geared toward travelers looking for a phone and data plan that works within the country.

The ads for the service can be seen on Chinese site WeiPhone (English translation). 

Apple has yet to release a statement about China Unicom.

via TUAW

Follow this article’s author, Cory Bohon on Twitter.

News

Intel to Acquire Infineon for a Whopping $1.4 Billion

By / August 30, 2010 / No Comments

This morning, Intel announced that it will acquire Infineon, the German mobile chip manufacturer that makes the baseband chip found in the iPhone, for .4 billion. The deal is expected to be finalized and official by the first quarter of 2011.

The acquisition will expand Intel’s current Wi-Fi and 4G WiMAX offerings to include Infineon’s 3G capabilities and Intel’s plan to advance LTE. Currently, the technology will only be used in Intel’s Core processor-based laptops and Intel Atom processor-based mobile devices.

Infineon has had a relationship with Apple since the Cupertino-based company’s iPhone was first released in 2007. This new acquisition could mean that iPhone users might see Intel chips fueling the popular smartphone.

Apple and Intel have had a few bumps in the past, as Intel has publicly slammed the iPhone, claiming that it is not at all capable of accessing the “full internet.” Additionally, Apple already manufactures it’s own custom A4 processor already based on the ARM architecture and found in the iPad and iPhone 4.

Follow this article’s author, Florence Ion, on Twitter.

News

iPod nano Cases, Mockup Show Possible Dramatic Redesign

By / August 30, 2010 / No Comments

iPod nano 2010 mockup
(Images courtesy of AppleInsider and Alibaba.com)

If you just can’t sleep until Wednesday’s Apple media event that’s sure to reveal the next generation of iPods, look closely at the mockup image above — that may very well be your next iPod nano.

AppleInsider is reporting that evidence is piling up quickly regarding the next iPod nano, which will be “dramatically redesigned” and features “a significantly smaller form factor.” The image above is not an actual product shot, but a rendered mockup from a case supplier showing how their screen protector product would be used on such a device.

Alibaba.com, a global online business-to-business trading platform, is now offering both cases (as shown below) and screen protectors for the supposed iPod nano 2010 model, which appears to feature a touchscreen interface similar to the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Although the render above features Wi-Fi connectivity, there is no hard evidence at this point to suggest that’s a reality, and AppleInsider considers it speculation on the part of the supplier.

The screen protectors are being sold by Jiangmen VIPO Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. which is specifically cited as being for a sixth-generation iPod nano. Likewise, the case image below is from another seller, Orient King, who offers the diminutive cases in a variety of colors — and they do indeed feature space for the standard 30-pin dock connector which Apple has been using for years.

iPod nano 2010 case

We won’t have to wait much longer — Apple’s media event kicks off at 10 am PST on Wednesday, September 1 in San Francisco and MacLife.com will be liveblogging all the gory details.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

News

Live Blog: Apple's Music Event

By / August 30, 2010 / No Comments

Join us on Wednesday September 1 at 10:00AM PDT for our live coverage of Apple’s Special Event.

We’re expecting new iPods, an updated iTunes and maybe, just maybe a brand new Apple TV.

See you then.

 

News

Mac|Life iPad App Goes Live

By / August 30, 2010 / No Comments

Hi Everyone,

Our latest foray into the magical world of the App Store just went live. The Mac|Life Tablet Edition (iTunes Link) is ready to be installed on your iPad. But wait, before you start checking your bank account to make sure you have the enough cash for our new app, the app is free.

FREE!

This initial app is called “issue Zero” and we’re asking all of you to try it out and tell us what you think. We want your feedback about what you like about the app and what you don’t like. Don’t worry, you won’t hurt our feelings. We just want to give our readers the best iPad experience we can. You can send us feedback from within the app.

So what are you waiting for? Go get it! (iTunes Link)

 

Follow this article’s author, Roberto Baldwin on Twitter


News