I'm a big fan of the Withings line of personal health devices -- over the years, I've purchased one of their Wi-Fi Body Scales and a Blood Pressure Monitor. The devices are great, and it's nice (and sometimes frustrating) to see how your health is doing over time. But the stats that were provided did little to motivate me to really exercise more, eat less, and even care about taking my blood pressure daily. The completely new Withings Health Companion app (free) is designed to not only monitor your health, but motivate you to do something about it. Unlike the previous WiScale app, which just tracked weight and BP and is the tool with which you take your blood pressure, the Withings Health Companion app lets you set goals and reminders. Upon launching the app, you see a "butterfly" with four wings -- one cyan, one orange, one magenta, and one green. Each wing is associated with a different health factor -- sleep, activity, heart, and weight. The idea is that you should try to eventually "fill" each wing with color, indicating that you're managing sleep, activity, your heart health, and your weight. Gallery: Withings Health Companion App To do this, the Withings Health Companion tries to "turn long-term goals into small achievable targets, and monitor your weekly progress toward your goals." In my personal case, I am able to monitor my heart health (BP and heart rate) using the Withings Blood Pressure Monitor and add my weight to the app every day using the Wi-Fi Body Scale. For capturing activity, I have now set up RunKeeper to report my activities to the app. I wish that there was a way to send info from my FitBit, which I wear constantly, to the app. The last item, sleep, requires input from other devices made by BodyMedia and Zeo. Once again, I'd prefer to have my sleep information sent to the Withings Health Companion app from the FitBit, which also tracks that info. There doesn't appear to be a way of adding my nightly sleep information to the app manually, which is somewhat irritating. Since I'm not exactly thrilled about having to spend a minimum of US$149 for yet another monitoring device, I'm hoping that FitBit and Withings will work out a way for the FitBit data to be used by the Health Companion. Of course, I could use the FitBit website to monitor all of this, since I could get activity readings and sleep information from the FitBit and weight data transferred from the Withings scale, but there's no way to track blood pressure. Sigh -- it's like these companies all want to get you tied into their particular ecosystem and don't want to make it easy for you to choose the combination of apps and devices to track your health. At this point, one of the "wings" of the butterfly will always be withered, since this app won't let me add my sleep information. I do, however, like the way that the app displays all pertinent health information on one screen and reminds me to take readings or to exercise. Do you have a favorite app or mobile website for tracking your health and personal fitness? Tell us about it in the comments.Withings Health Companion app: A new way to look at personal fitness originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Sunday, 19 August 2012
Blood Pressure Monitor-Personal Fitness-Heart Health-Companion
Friday, 17 August 2012
Mac Blu-ray Player software plays HD movies on your Mac
Want to play a Blu-ray disc on your Mac? Apple doesn't include Blu-ray as an option, but they are readily available through 3rd parties like Amazon or Other World Computing. You'll also need software to play the disc, which is where the Macgo Blu-Ray Player comes in. I reviewed the Macgo Blu-ray Player software more than a year ago and found it pretty flaky. It dropped frames, was slim on features, and not something I could get to excited about. The updated player is a completely different story. I tested the software on a Mac Pro, and also an older (2006) MacBook Pro. I'm pleased to see that the Blu-ray movies I tested it on worked just fine, there were no dropped frames, even when running movies full screen. That's much better than my last outing with the software, and smooth playbook on my aging MacBook Pro was impressive. The app also supports DTS5.1 surround sound if you have hardware that can play it. The Blu-ray Player software requires an internet connection when you first put in a new disc. This is due to the copy protection scheme built into the discs by the motion picture studios. One a disc gets its keys, you shouldn't need to go online again. If you try another disc, it's the same process. The Mac app has added some new features, including screen grabs, and what they call 'AirX' which allows you to beam a Blu-ray movie playing on your Mac to an iOS device -- on your same WiFi network, of course. This new version works much better than the old versions I tried, and movie playback is flawless but I can't say the same for the AirX feature. When I first tried it, Blu-ray Player crashed, then a second try went a bit further, but my iPhone and iPad reported a 'can't find the server' message, even though I'm sure I followed the setup instructions correctly. I think there's more work needed on this feature. The app has extensive help and an actively updated website. You can download a free copy and test it to see how it works with your hardware. If you want to view Blu-ray movies on your Mac, this is pretty much it right now, other than some open-source hacks that don't work very well and aren't as easy to use. There is a summer special on the Macgo Blu-ray player software for US$39.99, which is $20 off. The sale lasts until August 19th. Apple has never officially supported Blu-ray on the Mac, and the late Steve Jobs famously called the licensing terms a "bag of hurt." Even so, some people like the 50 GB capacity of Blu-ray media for backup, and if you have the hardware, wanting to play a movie in HD is an obvious next step Check the Gallery for some screen grabs and a look at the GUI for Blu-ray Player. Gallery: Mac Blu-ray PlayerMac Blu-ray Player software plays HD movies on your Mac originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
App Store-Creators-Iphone
Tilt to Live was a fairly early hit on the iOS App Store. It used the iPhone's accelerometer to make a frantic but fun and addictive shooter. Now, developer One Man Left has released a very different game called Outwitters. We first saw the title at GDC earlier this year, and the final release version is just as nice as the one that was in development. The game offers up asynchronous turn-based strategy combat, in the same vein as Robot Entertainment's great Hero Academy. But there are a few big differences, the first being that the board is much bigger, and allows for a few new moves and turns. The backend is also built out a lot more. In addition to the usual games with friends and random players, there's a whole matchmaking league system, so the best players have a huge, well-run ladder to climb. There are three different races (one is free, and the others you'll need to buy), each with its own units and resources to deal with. In short, the game is gorgeous, perfectly designed and offers much turn-based action for players (like me, ahem) who really enjoy moving units around a board like this. Outwitters is a free, universal download, and everything in the in-game store is on sale right now for a limited time.Daily iPhone App: Outwitters is the new app from Tilt to Live creators originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Sunday, 8 July 2012
Video Game Consoles-Component Video-Video Footage-Hd Pvr
Game capture is a bigger and bigger business lately -- with YouTube views earning money for partner channels, indie devs needing to capture video footage of their games, and lots of players just wanting to record their own gameplay for various purposes, there's a big call these days for full, HD video of gameplay captured from video game consoles. Hauppage has been making the HD PVR for a little while now: It's a run-through set-top box that's designed to capture video footage, specifically from a satellite or cable box (so you can record an HD TV signal as it comes in). But just a few months ago, Hauppage also introduced the HD PVR Gaming Edition, basically the same box, but designed to work directly with the top video game consoles: The PS3, Xbox 360, and the Nintendo Wii. And with the help of an app called HDPVRCapture, Hauppage's box works with your Mac computer. I've run the system through its paces, and I can say that despite some issues I had with setup (and a few missing features), the HD PVR Gaming Edition is an excellent way to capture high quality video game footage. Getting the unit plugged in was the hard part: All of my video game systems are well-ensconced in my entertainment center, so having to dive back into that tangle of wires was probably the hardest issue I had. For most of the capture, I used my PS3, so I had to pull the component cables out of my television, and then run the included cables with the HD PVR from the PS3 to the unit, and then a separate component cable from the PVR to the television. To go from the box to my Macbook, there was just a simple USB cable, so that part was super easy in comparison. The HD PVR itself has plenty of options: You can run through the component video hookups as I did (along with right and left audio), or run with Optical video out and in. On the front of the unit, there are also connections for SVideo, if you happen to be running that, or composite video from another console. The hookups on the box are solid, and the component video worked well. The HDPVRCapture software allows you to set a bitrate for recording the video, which mainly just affects hard drive usage (more video information obviously means more hard drive space used). To test, I first set the bitrate super low (at 1000 kbps), and as a result, the output video was grainy and hazy, albeit still usable. Running at a higher bitrate, however (I kicked it up to around 10000 kbps), creates really beautiful video -- full 1080i footage, perfect for playing on any HD television or projector (or, more likely, YouTube's HD settings). In fact, the video file that I created by running the device for about 30 minutes was so big and so HD that my little years-old Macbook actually had trouble running it, at least until I closed some other apps. Editing or even viewing video of that quality could be a problem if you have an old computer to work on. But most video editors will have computers much more powerful than my little laptop, so high quality video shouldn't be a problem. The HDPVRCapture software has plenty of options for recording and converting the video afterwards (the streams I recorded came out as .m2ts files, easily converted into .mp4 for playing on most video systems), and there are also controls for video light levels and sharpness, along with an option to hook up to iCal for a recording schedule (in case you do want to use this with a cable system to record TV shows). There's also a few network options, so you can hook up the software to automatically send recorded footage to a network drive, streaming it live or later on. I did have a few issues with Hauppage's box, however. First and foremost is the lack of an HDMI connection -- the component video looked great, but I usually run my PS3 with an HDMI cable, so to set the box up, I had to actually switch the system's video back over to component to use it. Elgato makes a competing box that only runs on HDMI, and since Apple sells an a read more..
Friday, 6 July 2012
Mobile Accessories-Ipad
It's July, and TUAW is starting off the American and Canadian summer holiday week with a review and giveaway of three useful accessories from Just Mobile.
Highway Pro
The Highway Pro (US$39.95 MSRP) is hands-down the nicest-looking car charger I've ever seen. Featuring a knurled aluminum cap that not only makes it easier to pull the charger out of your car power adapter but also looks sharp as well, the Highway Pro can charge your iPad and iPhone at the same time. There's a 2.1 Amp port for your third-generation iPad, as well as a 1 Amp outlet for your iPhone. Just Mobile includes a coiled USB cable that won't tangle -- I just wish they had thrown two into the box instead of one. With all of that power flowing out of this charger, it's nice to know that there's an integrated fuse to provide protection to your favorite devices.AluCube Mini
While the Highway Pro is meant for your car, the AluCube Mini ($16.95 MSRP) is designed to keep your desktop free of cable clutter. It's a small aluminum cube (hence the name) with a soft rubber-lined slot in the middle. Want to coil up excess charge/sync cable footage? Just run it through the middle of the AluCube Mini and you're set. If you're really anal and want that cable RIGHT THERE and nowhere else, there's an adhesive patch you can use to glom the AluCube Mini onto your desktop fairly permanently.AluPen Pro
The last of the three cool accessories from Just Mobile is the AluPen Pro ($39.95 MSRP). You might be sensing a trend right about now -- these well-constructed accessories are all made of aluminum. A number of Just Mobile's products are designed by Tools Design of Denmark, an award-winning design show that is responsible for the AluPen and AluPen Pro styluses. What makes the "Pro" different from the regular AluPen? It also features a "high-quality retractable ballpoint pen." That's right, you can use one end to sign checks or scribble down notes, then flip the device around to paint or write on your iPad. The stylus end of the AluPen Pro has a soft rubber nib that provides precise control of your iPad's capacitive touch screen. The AluPen Pro comes with a replacement nib should you wear one out, and also has a leather pouch to reside in when it's not being used.Conclusion and Giveaway
Just Mobile does an amazing job of creating mobile accessories that are built to last. They look good, they work well, and they're not going to fall apart. Even the boxes that the accessories come in are well-designed, with front "covers" that latch close magnetically. Now it's your chance to win these three mobile accessories courtesy of Just Mobile and TUAW. Here are the rules for the giveaway:- Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
- To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button.
- The entry must be made before July 4, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time.
- You may enter only once.
- One winner will be selected and will receive a package consisting of a Just Mobile AluPen Pro, AluCube Mini, and Highway Pro valued at US$96.85
- Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Bluetooth Device-Speaker Phone-Speakerphone-Braven-Iphone
Today is the day that BRAVEN's new SIX series of Bluetooth speakers hits the market, and in case you're curious about this new noisemaker, we've got a full review for you right here. Be sure to stick around until the end of the post, because you can enter to win a new BRAVEN 600 (US$149.99) of your very own.
Design
The BRAVEN 600 is a multitasker. Not only is it a Bluetooth wireless speaker that can be daisy-chained to other members of the SIX series, but it has a built-in 1400 mAh battery pack for charging up your iPhone when it's running low. It's also a speakerphone, and it packs all of this functionality into a nice-looking anodized aluminum case. That case can come in either mountain ash (kind of a nice silvery tone) or bright Moab red. On one end of the case is a USB port for powering your favorite electronic device, an audio out port, and a battery check button. At the other end is an audio in port (used in conjunction with the output port for daisy-chaining), a micro-USB port for charging the BRAVEN 600, and buttons for turning the volume up or down, enabling the speakerphone capability, and turning the speaker on and off. Gallery: BRAVEN 600 Bluetooth Speaker All of this is packaged into a clear plexiglas box with amazing shelf appeal. Inside that box is a charging cable, an AC adapter the size of the one that comes with the iPhone, and a daisy-chaining cable. Charging the BRAVEN 600 takes about four hours.Functionality
Pairing the BRAVEN 600 with an iPhone is an easy process; you simply slide a toggle up to turn Bluetooth on, after which the speaker emits a rather impressive synthesized tone to get your attention (there's another tone indicating that Bluetooth has been turned off). Next, you press and hold the speakerphone button for five seconds. The BRAVEN 600 appears on the iPhone's list of Bluetooth devices, and you tap the device name to pair the two. The BRAVEN 600 also appears on the list of AirPlay devices. As expected, this Bluetooth device works well when paired with a Mac. It appears as both audio output and input devices. After that, it's time enjoy your music, and you will enjoy it thoroughly. As opposed to many of the Bluetooth speakers I've tested over the year, the BRAVEN 600 actually sounds like an audiophile-quality speaker. There's a lot of depth to the sound from this device; the bass really kicks, yet treble tones don't get lost in the process. I listened to a variety of tunes from my iPhone, and all sounded great. On the other hand, I wasn't as impressed with the speakerphone capability. According to my fellow TUAW blogger Erica Sadun, it sounded like I was talking with a bagful of cotton balls in my mouth. That was what she sounded like to me as well -- the iPhone's built-in speaker phone provides much better sound quality for phone calls. I also wasn't too happy with the BRAVEN 600's abrupt handling of the call. Many Bluetooth systems I've tested, both for cars and home, do a nice job of fading out of music that is playing when a phone call comes in. With this speaker, there was just an abrupt jump to the ringtone. As I only had one BRAVEN 600 to play with, I wasn't able to test the daisy-chaining capability. However, I think it would be incredible to listen to music from a pair (or more) of these speakers. I liked the fact that I could press and hold the volume buttons on the speaker to have them act as previous / next buttons when shuffling through music or playing a playlist.Conclusion
BRAVEN's new SIX series of Bluetooth speakers looks like it will be a winner. The BRAVEN 600 is joined by the 625S (shock-resistant, has a built-in LED flashlight, made for outdoor use) and the 650 ($189.99, more capable than the 600). I'm actually sad that I have to give this away to a TUAW reader, but it's a product that I would happily spend $150 on. Pros- Excellent build quality and design
- Music / movie sound quality is i read more..source:http://aol.it/MNjYo4
Friday, 8 June 2012
Scratch Pad-Vjay-Ipad
If your creative expressions include mixing and cutting videos, then you're going to love vjay, the latest app from the folks at Algoriddim. The company's known for its popular djay app, and it has brought a similar experience to video with vjay. The vjay app leverages the processing power of the iPad (current or previous-gen; it does not work on the iPad 1) and lets you mix two video clips on the fly. The app ties into iTunes and lets you select videos and audio clips from your library. You can also record your own source video using the camera on the iPad. If you don't want to bother with all that, Algoriddim includes a handful of stock clips for you to use. Once you select your video and audio, all the mixing is done in real-time, so there's no worrying about splicing at the right frame or picking the perfect transition. The app uses two scratch pads, one for each video, and has a center mixing window where all the action happens. Each scratch pad has a variety of effects that you can add to your videos on the fly. You can add a strobe, twirl, fisheye, and crush. Moving your finger on each video scratch pad will adjust the effect as well as let you speed up or slow down the clip. You can also run the clip in reverse. The mixing window also has several transitions that control how the final, mixed video appears. You can blend the two videos and use a slider to adjust the blend from one video to the other. There's also cube, grid, swap, push and mosaic transitions that let's you get creative with the your final clip. While mixing, you can record the video and save it to your camera roll. For live VJ sessions, you can output the app's mix to a TV using an HDMI cable or stream it to an Apple TV using AirPlay. You'll spend $9.99 to get vjay; it is available now in the iOS App Store. If you have even the slightest inclination towards playing with video, you're going to love vjay. Not only is it a blast to be able to mix videos on the fly, the performance is amazingly smooth on the iPad 3. I didn't see any perceptible lag and any stuttering was from user error. More than once in the middle of a mix, I clicked on the wrong effect or slide the mixing slider too far to the left or right, but that's all part of the fun. You can see how vjay works in the video below and read more about it on Algoriddim's website. Daily iPad App: Algoriddim's vjay brings real-time video mixing to the iPad originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Removable Battery Pack-Battery Cases-Iphone
I love my iPhone 4S, but I am one of many who doesn't get great battery life from the phone. Apple has done some firmware updates that 'addressed' the problem, but I think battery life on my phone is still sub-par. I've looked at a few battery cases, but many were pretty clunky and didn't seem worth the hassle. A friend tipped me to the Boost Case, and I found it on Amazon and gave it a try. The case I ordered fits the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, and is made of a hard rubber nonslip surface. You charge the case with a micro USB cable (included). The flat built-in battery puts out 1700 mAh. I plugged it in overnight, and blue LEDs on the back of the case confirmed it had a full charge. I slipped the iPhone into the 2 piece case, and started my day. Every time I looked at the screen, the battery reading was 100%. It was 100% through the morning, through lunch, all afternoon, and well into the evening when the iPhone started running on its own battery and I saw 92% about 10PM. The phone got normal use through the day. Lot's of email, some snapped photos which were forwarded to others, even part of a Netflix movie and the usual phone calls. I tried the same routine the next day with the same results. When I first got the case the iPhone reported that 'charging was not supported with this accessory', but the iPhone was indeed charging. After the first try I never saw the message again. I tested photos with the case on to make sure the case did not interfere with the camera lens. Pictures looked fine with no obstruction visible. Some users have reported shooting with flash can leave a bit of a haze at the lower right of the image. I made a few tests and the images looked fine, but your experience may vary. The Boost Case comes in a variety of colors, some models have a removable battery pack, others have it integrated. The one I tried uses an integrated battery and is only US $47.50 at Amazon. That's a pretty low price to completely solve the vexing problem of iPhone battery life. There are plenty of cases out there that provide battery extending functions. The Boost Case works very well and is worth a look if your iPhone battery life is less than stellar. Feel free to share your experiences with the Boost Case or any others that you have tried.Boost case for iPhone keeps the battery going originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 24 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Thursday, 24 May 2012
Sonic The Hedgehog-Sonic And Tails-Sonic Games
The big question with Sonic games is always if it's as good as the old titles on the Sega Genesis and the Dreamcast, and as usual, the answer here with Sonic 4 Episode 2 (yes, that's how they're releasing these) is unfortunately no. But that's not really a bad thing -- this is pretty good 2D Sonic, put together with quality graphics and plenty of content to play through. It won't compare to the old titles (because what does, really?), but if you're just looking for Sonic and Tails to run around in a colorful world, you'll get it here. Yes, Tails is back in this one, and he and Sonic team up to run, do a little flying, and race through lots and lots of levels together. You can even hook up with two players over Bluetooth, one on Sonic and the other on Tails. Just like the last Sonic on iOS, the proceedings are plenty colorful, varied from stage to stage, and while the controls are only virtual (actually, iCade compatibility would be a nice bonus here), they work about as well as virtual controls can. Sonic 4 Episode 2 isn't a bad game at all, though like all of the other Sonic titles out there, it probably won't live up to your memories of what the series once was. If you want old school Sonic action, and wouldn't mind seeing Tails in 2D after quite a while away, the game's available for $6.99 in a universal version right now.Daily iPhone App: Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 brings Sonic back again originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 21 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Firewire 800-Technology
The march of technology amazes me. Yeah, I'm an old guy, but it still surprises me when I realize that the amount of storage that used to fill a data center can now fit in my pocket. G-Technology's G-Drive mobile (made by Hitachi, US$199.99 MSRP for 1 TB) is the perfect example of mass storage in a small, silent box. Read on for a review of this mobile companion and a chance to win one!
Design
There's not much too say in terms of the design of the G-Drive mobile -- it's a slim metallic box 5 inches long, a little over 3 inches wide, and about 3/4 of an inch high. There's no power port; the G-Drive is bus-powered by either FireWire (400/800) or USB 2.0. The device comes with cables for each connection. A single white LED on the front of the drive indicates when it is powered up and in use. On the inside, there's a 5400 RPM 1 TB drive with an 8 MB cache. For speed, I'd much rather see a 7200 RPM drive, but that would most likely drive up both the cost and power requirements of the drive. However, as you'll see with the benchmarks, this is still a pretty fast drive despite the slower rotation speed of the disk. The G-Drive mobile also comes in 500 MB ($149.99 MSRP) and 750 MB ($159.99) versions, although I'm at a loss why someone wouldn't want to double their capacity for just fifty bucks more. I found the drive to run a bit hot -- I had placed my iPhone on top of the drive at one point, and when I answered a call I wondered why the phone was so hot... As with other drives of this ilk, the G-Drive mobile is almost completely silent.Benchmarks
TUAW uses a standard industry benchmark to compare the I/O capabilities of disks and arrays. The benchmark uses the AJA System Test, which simulates reading and writing video. The specific test I used was the Disk Read/Write test, also known as the DiskWhackTest, set at a video frame size of 720 x 486 8-bit and a file size of 128 MB. The drive read speeds were surprisingly fast in our benchmarks, matching almost every FireWire drive that we've tested (only one is shown below for space considerations). When it came to USB 2.0 read speeds, the G-Drive mobile was slightly faster than the competition across the board. Write speeds were slower for the G-Drive when connected via FireWire 800, while almost identical to other drives with a USB 2.0 connection.Conclusion and Giveaway
If you're the owner of a MacBook Pro and have an available FireWire 800 port, or have a FireWire-equipped desktop Mac you'd like to back up while keeping a lot of available desk space, then the G-Drive mobile will fill your requirements. Those who only have USB 2.0 ports on their Macs should spend their money on less expensive USB-only drives that offer read/write speeds in the same range as the G-Drive mobile. Thanks to G-Technology and TUAW, you now have a chance to win one of these sweet little drives. Just fill out the entry form below (only one entry per person, please) and we'll pick a random winner next week. Here are the rules for the giveaway:- Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
- To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button.
- The entry must be made before May 20, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time.
- You may enter only once.
- One winner will be selected and will receive a G-Technology G-Drive mobile valued at $199.99.
- Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Monday, 14 May 2012
Iphone
Off the Leash is a game that arrived a little while ago on the iPhone, but it's gotten a few updates since I first played it, and it just so happens to be free on May 10. It's an endless runner, but instead of a side-scroller, it runs from the top down, and it's got a few new elements to this genre. First, it's time-based, so not only do you need to run for as far as possible, but your goal is to hit the next checkpoint within a certain time limit. Second, as your little dog runs along, you can "recruit" other dogs to run with you, which up your speed but also make it harder to maneuver around. Eventually, you hit a boundary (the cops catch your little dog that's been running amuck), and then you start over again from the beginning. Off the Leash is great fun. The graphics are colorful and funny, the game's tilt-to-steer challenge is tough but not overwhelming at all, and especially at the low price, it's a great game to have on your iPhone. Definitely give it a download.Daily iPhone App: Off the Leash provides chaotic canine fun originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 10 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Friday, 27 April 2012
Dock Connector-Power Port-Car Mounts-Pro Flex-Iphone
When it comes to car mounts for the iPhone and iPod touch, there are a lot of 'em available. I personally despise windshield suction-cup mounts, as every one I've tried has fallen off my windshield as soon as it heats up in the strong Colorado sun. When I saw Bracketron's new Universal USB Power Dock Pro Flex (US$34.95), I decided to give it a try -- it avoids the suction cup failure mode by running a 'stalk' up from the AC adapter port in the car's console. My car mount woes are further aggravated by the fact that I use a mophie juice pack air battery case on my iPhone 4S. Many of the car mounts I've tested have required a bare iPhone, so I've had to remove the case every time I want to put the phone into a mount. Not so with Power Dock Pro Flex. It's adjustable, and I'm able to easily get iPhone and case into the mount. However, there's one little fly in the ointment; the arms on the case that hold the phone in place end up covering the charging port for the juice pack air so that I can't charge it. I was able to resolve that problem by placing the iPhone into the mount upside-down! It's not the recommended way and definitely not suggested if you're putting an iPhone (with or without case) into the Power Dock Pro Flex and planning on charging it through the Dock connector. The Power Dock Pro Flex is designed to be universal, meaning that it works with a variety of smartphones. That's why it doesn't come with a Apple Dock connector cable; you'll have to supply your own. It does come with a USB to micro-USB cable, which works flawlessly to keep the juice pack air charged. The mount plugs directly into a standard 12V power port in a car and has a flexible arm that ends in a ball-mounted holder for the phone. The part of the mount that's plugged into your power port has an LED to indicate that you have power, and the aforementioned USB port. Bracketron uses a feature called "power grip arms" that insures that the plug is going to stay put in that 12V power port. For those of you who might be wondering, I do NOT look at the phone when I'm driving -- that's what voice directions are for, so it makes no difference if my iPhone is within my field of vision or not. I'm pretty happy with the Power Dock Pro Flex, and it's reasonably priced. It keeps an iPhone in an accessory case securely held in my car while providing a way to charge it, and that's all I need. It's also a perfect fit for those who may have several people with different smartphones who want to use the same mount in one car.Bracketron Power Dock Pro Flex keeps iPhone secured and powered in your car originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Friday, 20 April 2012
Sensor Data Collection-Iphone-Ipad-Ios
Scientists and hobbyists who want to use their iOS devices as tricorders now have a new tool to help them to bring that dream to life. Byte Works has released version 2.0 of techBASIC, a US$14.99 scientific and educational programming environment for iOS that can be used to pull in data from internal (accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope) and external sensors. In case the name Byte Works sounds familiar to some of you, the company has been around for a long time. Mike and Patty Westerfield started the company in the early 1980s, developing the ORCA computer languages for the 8-bit Apple II. ORCA/M became the standard development system for the Apple IIGS under the names Cortland Programmer's Workshop (CPW) and Apple Programmer's Workshop (APW). techBASIC has its roots in another Byte Works product, GSoft Basic for the Apple IIGS. techBASIC 2.0 is a universal app, so any program you develop on your iPhone can easily be run on your iPad or vice-versa. Launching the app on the iPhone displays a list of included example programs -- the source code for these programs is a nice place to pick up some tips on how to access and use readings from the sensors built into iOS devices. The iPad version shows the list of programs and also provides a window showing the graphical output of your programming efforts. Gallery: techBASIC 2.0 Of course, you cannot create apps for sale in the app store with techBASIC. However, you can send your code to others through email. I'd personally like to see techBASIC work with Dropbox or iCloud for storing self-created apps online for backup and sharing. A tap on any one of the program names displays its source code. The example programs are not only useful, but well-commented for educational purposes. In both the iPhone and iPad flavors, techBASIC includes buttons to display the source code, show a console, see graphics being generated by your program, etc... If you need to, it's possible to step through a program to see how it works or to debug an issue. The documentation for techBASIC is available online, consisting of a reference manual and individual Quick Start guides for iPhone and iPad. There's also a built-in help system with full details of statements, functions, events, graphics classes, GUI classes, sensor classes, and system classes. Perhaps one of the coolest features of techBASIC 2.0 is the ability to tap into the sensors of your favorite iOS devices. The language provides a way to tap into the accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope, and also to grab your current latitude-longitude, altitude, and more. There's a separate sensor class for the HiJack hardware, a University of Michigan project to add small sensor packages to iOS devices. The techBASIC blog features an example app showing how to grab readings from a HiJack-connected potentiometer. The potential here is huge -- imagine being able to connect HiJack to a thermocouple to grab a temperature log through techBASIC, or to an anemometer to measure and track wind velocity on an iPad or iPhone. One of the reviewers listed on the Byte Works website notes that she feels that techBASIC is a "mini-MATLAB in my pocket." I have to agree. While techBASIC isn't nearly as high-powered as MATLAB, it's more amenable and affordable to those who want a lot of the same capabilities to analyze and visualize data. I won't go into a huge, detailed description of the techBASIC language here, since the documentation is readily available. But I will say that this is an excellent development environment for researchers or anyone with an iOS device who enjoys tinkering with hardware. For students, techBASIC is an inexpensive way to learn about programming. Be sure to check out the gallery to see screenshots from both the iPhone and iPad, and watch the video below for a look at techBASIC in action.techBASIC 2.0 brings sensor data collection, analysis and visualization to iOS originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Web read more..
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Bounty
MunkyFun is the group of developers behind first-person shooter Archetype for the iPhone, so they know already how to put a console-style shooter on Apple's mobile devices. Archetype was published by Villian, but MunkyFun's latest title is self-published. It's called Bounty Bots, and it's available for free on the App Store right now. Hopefully, at the word "free," you already went to go and download the game to see what it's like. But in case not, I'll tell you that it's a shooter where your main goal is to run around collecting coins as quickly as possible, and then to deliver those coins into banks (but without getting killed by other players). Coins delivered get banked, but you still get XP for picking up coins, so even if you're terrible, you can progress through the game. Progression gets you various parts to customize your bot with, and the game is finely tuned for both casual and hardcore players, so those ready for a real challenge can buy special parts that make things tougher but can also come with rewards as well. The game's freemium bent can be frustrating at times (if you ever lose all your coins, you're locked in a jail that you can then pay your way out of, which seems targeted right at guaranteeing those all-important in-app purchases). But there's enough action here that it's worth the free download, and if you get hooked, well, all the better. And MunkyFun is already updating the title as well, so there's more content on the way. Bounty Bots is a fun use of the company's expertise so far, and I'm sure it will lead to even better things in their future.Daily iPad App: Bounty Bots is full of cartoony shooter action originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Forecast-Weather-Iphone
There are dozens of weather apps for the iPhone, and most are variations on a theme. Not Rain Aware, an extremely interesting weather app that will tell you when it is going to rain, and when it is going to stop. It does it in very plain language, and as near as I can tell it does it pretty well. The app figures out where you are, and after invoking some smart algorithms, it tells you about the weather not for your general area, but for where you are. It updates every minute, and also gives you a forecast for nearby points of interest, like airports, golf courses and sports stadiums. This is a very different approach to weather, and a very personal one. I couldn't test the rain forecast as I am in the Arizona desert, but I looked at some other cities and even called a friend in Texas and asked him if it was raining at his location. It was, and I could clearly see that on the map, and told him when the rain would end. The app lists 1100 cities, and has a forecast, plus real-time radar so you can see what's coming, or going. The app will also give you information on sleet and snow. My only negative is that the GUI is pretty ugly and cluttered. The developers are aware of this, and hopefully it will improve. The app sells for US $4.99, which is a bit higher than the run-of-the-mill weather app, but this app does a lot more, and behind it is a rather large server farm that spins up these custom forecasts. I'm very impressed with the fresh thinking that went into Rain Aware, and if weather is really important to you, I suggest you take a look at the developer web site to learn about the science that is behind this app. Gallery: Rain Aware app for iPhoneDaily iPhone app: Rain Aware originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Friday, 30 March 2012
Interval Training-Strength Training-Exercise Program-Workouts-Music
A trio of apps have come out recently that will give your spring workout a boost: Faster ($1.99): This app, shown at right, is geared toward those who exercise outdoors and relies on GPS to be effective. You can set a distance and target time, and if your pace isn't matching the goals you set, Faster will slow down your music. There's a social aspect to it as well, with Game Center integration and the ability to earn badges and compete with friends. You can also hear voice feedback during workouts and use it in tandem with other fitness apps. Now that the weather's warming up here, I'm looking forward to using Faster outside and hope it'll keep me motivated and not looking longingly at gardens and park benches. One warning: For those who still have some DRM-protected tracks on their iPhone, Faster will not work with them. Bit Timer ($.99): Bit Timer is designed for when you do any sort of interval training, great for if you're doing a regimented exercise that requires you to alternate between running and walking, or if you're doing strength training and need to take rests between sets. Two distinct tones let you know when you're about to perform the exercise and when you either enter your rest period or change exercises. To change the seconds, hold the colored bars and drag down to increase time, drag up to decrease it. When using a music app, Bit Timer will fade the music out to let you know when to switch phases then fade back in, which is really nice. The one drawback to the app is that you can't set the work and rest periods for any longer than 2-minute increments at a time. I'd like to see this go up to 5-minute increments to better utilize it with such programs as the Couch to 5K plan. Plus, I'd like to see some customization such as being able to switch to different phases of an exercise program. But for 99 cents, this app is a good deal, and I plan to incorporate it into my workouts. Fitness Trainer ($.99): For building those spring workouts, you can create and track routines in this app. There are more than 70 exercises within the app to choose from, including videos to demonstrate move you're not familiar with. This app just hit version 4, and it's a good way to create a training program for yourself without having to pay for a personal trainer. What it won't do is keep you working out. That you'll have to do yourself.Three new apps for a better workout originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Daily iPhone App: Beatstream
Beatstream is the latest app from the folks at Smule (who recently acquired Khush, another music-loving developer, and I can kind of see their influence here as well). Usually, Smule's apps are based around creation of music, but Beatstream is a little more targeted towards listening to your music (at least at first). The idea is that you can pull any music from your iTunes library, and Beatstream will turn it into a game, the game-iest game that I've ever seen Smule make. You basically control an arrow running along a path, and you can tap on the screen to flip it through two different colors, which match barriers running along the path in front of you. The goal is to make sure that when your little arrow crosses the barriers, it's the same color. Matching colors and going through levels you up, and missing the colors brings you back down. It's fun, and even on the easiest setting, the barriers show up on the screen quickly enough that there is a little bit of a challenge trying to make sure the arrow is flipped the right way before going through them. There are also badges to earn, and unlike standard achievements, these actually change the gameplay a little bit, or even trip up the way the music sounds, like making it go faster or play in some crazy fashion. The one caveat with the music in Beatstream is that, like all other apps that pull music from your library, it won't work with DRM-protected songs, so if there's anything on your device from before 2009, you might not be able to play it. Same deal with long songs -- I had a few really long songs that just didn't work. But I was able to get a shorter song working without a problem, and while you could tell the song was matched with an algorithm (rather than by hand, like a Rock Band or Guitar Hero song), it still played well along with the music anyway. Beatstream is a cool way to experience your music while tapping along with that little arrow. I don't think it'll be a tentpole release for Smule -- it doesn't quite have that music creation streak that has led them to so much success with apps like Ocarina and Magic Piano. But it's a quality addition to their library for sure -- it's 99 cents on the App Store right now.Daily iPhone App: Beatstream originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Fitness Tracker-Fitbit
Back in October, I posted a review of the Fitbit Ultra. It's a tiny fitness tracker that clips to a belt or sleeve and transmits your daily steps and calorie burn to a recharging and sync dock that's attached to your Mac or PC. In late October, Fitbit released their iPhone app so I followed up with information about how the app and tracker work together. At the time, I also promised to follow up on my original review to tell you how things are working with the Fitbit, so I thought I'd give you an update after six months with this device. The good news is that I'm still wearing the Fitbit Ultra every day. It's my constant companion, always clipped to a belt loop. I don't check my current step count, calories burned or flights of stairs climbed as obsessively as I did when I first got the device, but I still find the fitness information it provides to be important to my well-being. During the time I've used the Fitbit Ultra, I've been able to get a good idea of the average baseline number of steps I take per day. Now that the weather is getting nice, I plan to up my count to the desired 10,000 steps per day, so I have a good idea of how far and long I need to walk. One complaint I heard from many early Fitbit Ultra users was that they didn't feel that the device accurately measured how far they walked. I resolved that problem early on by measuring how many steps the Fitbit counted on a known distance, and then using the online Fitbit website to calibrate my stride. The numbers are now fairly accurate when I compare them to Runkeeper on my iPhone. When using the Fitbit app, I don't enter my food calorie counts. I find that to be time-consuming and just plain boring, so I forget to do it. Don't worry, Fitbit fans -- I never entered my "points" when I was using the WeightWatchers iPhone app either. Another feature I've stopped using is the sleep tracker. It doesn't really track how well you sleep; instead, it's measuring how much you toss and turn. I tend to lay very still in bed even when I'm awake, so the Fitbit dashboard shows a high sleep efficiency number even when I've had a relatively sleepless night. It is a great way to see what time you get up to go to the bathroom, though. The device has held up well to the abuse I've put it through; in fact, it still looks as good as the day I first put it on my belt. One technical issue I've had on occasion is that the device sometimes seems to lose wireless contact with the charging/sync dock so that I may go a few days without my fitness info being passed along to the iPhone app or the online website. The usual fix is to reboot my Mac, so it must be a USB or driver issue. Fitbit includes a social aspect that I almost wish I hadn't gotten into, since ex-TUAW blogger Scott McNulty is absolutely trouncing me in terms of steps walked. I can see where that comparison could become a good impetus to exercise. Watch out, Scott! I will absolutely continue to wear my Fitbit Ultra tracker, and I can't wait to start giving it a real workout this summer.Fitbit Ultra: A six-month followup review originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Friday, 9 March 2012
App Store-Ipad
I'm always on the lookout for free apps from the App Store, and I've found an interesting shopping app that's worth a look. The app is called ShopAdvisor (iPad edition) and it's the kind of app that would get a lot of use in this household. Think of a product you're considering purchasing. Enter it into ShopAdvisor and it finds the lowest price, both online and in local retail stores. You can opt to receive an alert if the price drops. It can also provide pros and cons of a pending purchase. ShopAdvisor displays the most popular item in several categories. In electronics, by the way, the iPad is running away with the top votes. I tried the app on common items and more esoteric purchases. Often local prices didn't show up, which wasn't a big surprise. There is also a price history graph which gives you the ability to make a more informed decision. Sometimes the info is a little strange. I looked at a Fuji 3D camera and it told me the low price was US$499, but the graph showed it selling for under $400. In fact, a Google search found it selling online for $299.00. That's a bit perplexing. In general, the app worked as expected and was quite speedy. You can add items you are following to the home page, which is convenient. Much of the information it uses is sourced from ProductWiki. I didn't detect any biases in the pricing information. Amazon prices were well represented, and they are often among the lowest. If you're a regular shopper, and most of us are, this app could save you some money, but my tests show it should not be your sole source of pricing information. The app is a 3.7 MB download and requires iOS 4.3 or greater. The developer also offers an iPhone version of the app, but I like the increased real estate on the iPad screen. Gallery: ShopAdvisor iPad editionDaily iPad App: ShopAdvisor originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Hookshot-Tobe
I've already suggested that you buy Tobe & Friends: Hookshot Escape in passing, and after playing with it for a few days, my advice hasn't changed. It's a remarkably cute and well-made game, with some interesting ideas about platforming, incredible music and graphics, and a lot of retro pixelated fun. Tobe & Friends: Hookshot Escape is an endless platformer. You jump your way up a series of platforms as the screen moves faster and faster. The terrain says pretty much the same as you progress, unlike many "endless" games. It sounds repetitive but it works, as the repetition helps you learn the layout. There are many unlockables (you earn currency as you travel along), the most important of which are other characters. Tobe, the main character, uses a hookshot to travel along, while others use a hammer, a dragon punch, or even a feather cape to fly through a level (check them out in the game's incredible trailer). I have two issues with the game. The first is with the controls. My thumbs occasionally slide off of them, making me miss a precise jump. The trailer originally made the game look like it was a one-button tapping affair, using tilt to move right and left, and I wonder if that scheme wouldn't work a little better. Secondly, the game isn't yet available on the iPad. While that's obviously not a gamebreaker, I wish I could see the graphics running in full, bright color on Apple's tablet screen. Both of those complaints are minor. Tobe & Friends: Hookshot Escape is a beautiful, action-packed game that's tough to put down. It's US$1.99 on the App Store right now, and worth every penny.Daily iPhone App: Tobe & Friends Hookshot Escape catches sweet air originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..