If you were a fan of the Commodore 64, you should know that an emulator has now been released on the iPhone. The emulator is completely legal, and comes shipped with 5 roms/games: Dragons Den, Le Mans, Jupiter Lander, Arctic Shipwreck, and Jack Attack. There will be additional games added periodically.
There were problems with the release because of code that allowed arbitrary code to be run using the program. Once that was cleaned up, Apple approved the emulator which has full licensing and is 100% legal.
Enjoy this video showing off some games that will be available soon from the app. The app is currently at $4.99, and you can find the app store link here.
There are people who live and die by noise-cancellation when it regards speakers, or a microphone. In the business world, this is especially helpful because you want to make sure you hear everything the person on the other end is saying, and vice versa.
Today, we’re going to look at one of the high quality noise canceling devices — Aliph Jawbone Prime Earcandy. Is the promise of premium noise cancellation worth the price?
What’s in the Box
Aliph Jawbone PRIME EARCANDY Bluetooth headset
-Six earbuds
-One earloop
-Wall charger
-USB charging cable
-Quick start guide
Features
The Earcandy will eliminate more noise than any other handset on the market.
Doesn’t require your face to be touching to activate, but is required for utilizing all the noise canceling technology.
Wind reduction works up to speeds of 10mph
Can be paired with up to eight devices, and allows two simultaneous connections
Conducts a full charge in a hour
What I Like - Jawbone isn’t lying when they say they have one of the best noise canceling devices on the market. I’ve tried everything but the wind reduction and everything is crystal clear. For people who utilize a wide variety of devices, having the multipoint connection is a real treat. Provides it’s quick charge in the time it advertises.
What I Don’t Like - Some might be put off by the more artistic design of the earpiece. Another put off might also be the price point at $130.00. The price could have been lowered if they left some of the unneeded extras off or released two separate models with different prices. Either way, as it stands now you’ll have to drop a heft buck for this device.
Bottom Line - If you’re looking for the best, then you’ll find it here. The Jawbone has truly pushed the industry with the release of this product. The only question you have to ask yourself is — Is it worth the price tag?
It seems like Apple releases different versions of the iPhone faster than people can upgrade. The newest model coming from Apple is of course the iPhone 3G S. If you’re just now coming around to purchasing an iPhone, then the 3G S is a no-brainer. However, if you already own an iPhone 3G is it worth upgrading to the S model?
The most significant upgrade you’ll find with iPhone 3G S is the overall performance. Everything on the iPhone 3G S works faster than the prior model. The kicker is that it’s a marginal increase. So, if you’re a stickler for speed then it’s worth upgrading. If the speed you currently have with your iPhone 3G pleases you, then there’s no need to upgrade.
Overall speed might not be a reason to upgrade, but one of the new extra features with the S might be. With the iPhone 3G S the ability to shoot, edit, and share video has been added. The handset uses VGA and can be shot in portrait or landscape. When you’ve shot your video, you can edit it by trimming your footage. Once you’re finished you can send your video via: email, MobileMe Gallery, YouTube, or sync it to your PC or Mac. This upgrade might actually be a selling point for many iPhone 3G users. If the ability to shoot video is a must, then the S is worth an upgrade.
To coincide with the addition of video, the camera has seen an upgrade as well. The lens is now 3-megapixel, so if you’re a quality junky when taking photos then upgrading might be for you.
A feature that will leave traveling iPhone users with a smile is voice control. I can tell you that having a voice control handset while you’re driving is a godsend. With the iPhone 3G S, your contacts and music are all voice activated. Again, if you are on the road a lot for business, an upgrade might be something to look into.
Overall, there isn’t one feature that universally warrants an upgrade to the iPhone 3G S. There are certain features that depending on how you use your phone, or want to use your phone that make a S upgrade look really attractive though.
So yea, you can view videos and movies on your iPod Touch or iPhone. The screen can sometimes leave a little to be desired. How can I enjoy Braveheart with a 3.5 inch screen? MyVu Crystal Media Viewer is your answer.
Features
- Full VGA Quality
- 4 Hour Battery Life
- USB Mini cable for battery recharge
- Resolution: 640 x 480 (VGA
- 24 bit color depth
Items in the box
The MyVu Headset
In ear headphones
2 extra pairs of ear buds
Microfiber sleever, also can be used as cloth
Cable for connecting to iPhone or iPod Touch
What I Like: My favorite thing about the media viewer is that it does what it claims. When you plug the glasses in, you’ll see a bright and vibrant screen to view. The display resolution is crisp, and the colors are vibrant. The USB connector for charging is really handy.
The body of the glasses aren’t too bulky either, and transfer from place to place really well.
What I didn’t Like: The technology is fantastic, but like many great things is expensive. If you have $300 you’re looking to burn then fine, but for most that’s quite a steep price tag. If you don’t like ear buds then you don’t have any other choice for your audio output.
Depending on your head size, and nose structure the glasses can be quite uncomfortable. There’s very little adjustment. The glasses can emit a glare if you’re sitting somewhere in direct sunlight.
Bottom Line: With the MyVu Crystal Media Viewer, I recommend you pick some up if you are in with some money. It does everything that it claims to do, and was definitely impressive. There are a couple of negatives that could keep you from using the glasses. I would recommend finding them somewhere that you can try them on.
It’s been longer than a month since we last did an iPhone app post, so figured we’d look back on some of the great apps in March. There were some great ones to choose from. Here are the ones you should atleast try out…
Human Weather: This little app might not be a marvel in technical sense, but it provides a bit of fun to weather forecasts. Instead of listening to weathermen, fire this app up with provides forecasts from its users. It’s Twitter, meets weather. The community aspect of the app might not be for some, but trust me it can come in handy.
Slideshow Builder: Don’t be fooled by the name, this app is more than just grouping photos together and watching it go. You add effects as you see it, and take control of your slideshow with many other options. You can add in music, or even captions to accompany certain pictures. There are numerous effects, the most important being the Ken Burns effect.
iPhorest: If you’re down with the environment, and who isn’t these days? Then check out iPhorest. The app itself isn’t all that great, you get to virtually create a tree and watch it grow. The great thing is every time the app is downloaded, a tree is planted by the EcoLife, and iPhorest groups.
A few months ago we looked at some iPhone apps that you should download, if you didn’t already have them. Now, here’s a list of iPhone games that you should take a look at. As the popularity of the App Store rises, so does the amount and quality of the games that are being released.
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FieldRunners: With the release of FieldRunners, Subatomic Studios proved that you could release a game on the iPhone with some stellar graphics. When you load up FieldRunners, the first thing you’ll notice is a very well stylized game that sports some impressive technical graphics as well.
The gameplay is very simple, and if you’ve ever played a tower defense game before you’ll know what you’re getting into with FieldRunners. Basically, you build defensive structures to keep enemy soldiers, tanks, helicopters from entering your base.
iDracula: Like FieldRunners, iDracula sticks to a formula that you’ve probably seen before. Specifically if you’ve ever play old school arcade shooters. iDracula takes that formula and adds a nice polish of shine to it. The idea behind iDracula is survival. You’ll be using both thumbs, your left one to navigate, and your right to fire in whatever direction you’re pressing. It’s painfully addictive, as you’ll keep wanting to see how far you can get.
Oregon Trail: Ok, if you’re reading this and never played the original Oregon Trail back on Mac/PC then definitely download this game. If you enjoyed Oregon Trail back in the early days, when it was the one game you got to play at school…then still download this game. The charm, and fun that was found all those years ago in the original Oregon Trail have made their way to the iPhone.
You’ll battle your way through all the hardships that settlers moving west did. You’ll battle dysentary, bandits, road hazards all the while trying to pave your way west. There are 8 mini games that you’ll utilize the iPhone for, hunting, fishing, rafting and so on. The game is chock full of all kinds of elements to lose yourself in.
The worth of the iHome iHM2B is all dependent on just how ‘portable’, you need your iPod dock to be. If you’re looking for a device that you can take anywhere, while taking up little space then this is definitely you’re iPod dock.
Features:
- Line-in jack compatible with all iPods, and CD Players
- DC Jack
- Sliding tray for placement of iPod
- Operates solely on 4 AA batteries
What’s In Box:
- iHome iHM2B
- Stereo Cord
What I Like: Like I mentioned before, you’ll like the iHM2B based mostly on how much you’ll be moving it around. If you’re someone who doesn’t like earphones, or earbuds but wants a portable way to listen to your music then this is a great product.
It’s very light, and is compact. I’d says it’s about the size of a Playstation controller if that gives you an idea of how it feels in your hands. The slide out holder for the iPod makes for easy access if you’re wanting to skip songs, or what have you.
What I Don’t Like: I’d say the biggest negative about the iHM2B is the lack of power options. You have to keep feeding batteries into it to keep it powered at all times. When you’re transporting it around, it’s more convenient. However, if you’re leaving stationary and next to an outlet it would be nice to be able to plug it in to keep it powered.
The speaker quality is decent for something its size, but you’ll be sacrificing good sound for portability. It’s not that I expect anything more out of the iHM2B. I’m just warning you that you’ll be giving up superb sound quality if you use a larger sound system.
Bottom Line: I believe that the iHM2B is a great deal if you can find it in the $20-$25 price range. The portability, and simple design make it a worth while dock. It’s just important to realize what you’re getting if you do buy iHM2B. Don’t expect to be blown away by the speakers, and make sure you have a steady supply of batteries available if you listen to it a lot.
Notice in the title of the article I didn’t say “want”, or “desire”. That’s because you really do need these iPhone Apps. Trust me, once you have them downloaded you’ll never know how you got along without them.
Here is a list of of those apps:
QuickVoice Recorder: Having the ability to make quick voice recordings is such a convenience. Up until this app, you had to carry around a digital voice recorder that would take up valuable pocket space.
If you download the extra PC software with QuickVoice, you can also have the option of transferring your recorded audio files to your PC.
SportsTap: SportsTap is the best free way to keep up with sports scores on your iPhone or iPod Touch. I’m pretty sure every professional sport in the entire world is available through SportsTap. There’s detailed box scores with player stats, and in-depth season statistics.
If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, and happen to be a sports nut, then this app is a definite must.
WritingPad: Taking notes, and sending emails is really nothing new if you use the iPhone, or iPod Touch. Writing Pad does all of those things, only with a little twist. Instead of using key inputs, you draw the shape of letters.
Some people aren’t the fastest typers in the world, so this is a cool app to make writing things out a little easier.
Pandora Radio: If you’ve never visited Pandora, you’ve really got to check it out. It’s pretty much a personalized radio station that you listen to over your computer. You don’t get to hand pick songs, but you put in an artist or song and it will feed back similar artists and tunes. With Pandora Radio, you can experience this same thing on your iPhone. I’ve found Pandora to be a great way to find new music you’ve never heard, and discover new bands.
fring: Instant Messaging has now become a very common way for people to keep in touch with one another. fring is a great instant messenger to have because it encompasses all of the popular instant messaging services (AIM, Yahoo, Twitter, MSN, Skype).
Another cool feature with fring is the ability for VoIP communication. So, if you have an iPod Touch instead of an iPhone you can use it as a phone over a WiFi connection.
If you’re looking for a bargain on a screen cover for your iPhone 3G and you have 4 friends who want in, its darn near impossible to beat the deal that DLO is offering on their Surface Shield screen protectors.
For a grand total of $14.99, you get a 5 pack of anti-glare screen protectors. A little mathematics brings us to the conclusion that you’re going to be running $3 per screen if you break the pack up. Money isn’t the only factor in play though, its just the beginning - the Surface Shield is actually an excellent product - even if it cost $15 for just one. The application process is very easy (comes with adhesive backing so you just place it on) and if you’re not quite on with the screen positioning, you can pull it off and adjust it without any consequence - it stays sticky. Just make sure your screen is clean and you don’t get any dust or hairs while you’re putting it on and it goes on great.
They’re anti glare shields - and they live up to their name. In direct window light, they cut down on bright shiny reflections, big time.
Some people prefer the unskinned, glossy surface of the naked iPhone but I personally love the texture and look that the anti-glare skin gives. It cuts down on the saturation a tiny bit, but it still looks great and in most cases, better than without the shield because you can actually see it when you’ve got sun or bright light overhead.
I recommend the DLO Surface Shield on the basis of cost and quality. Price to performance relationship is unbeatable and its an excellent product to begin with. If you can round up a couple buddies to split the bulk pack up with, it costs almost nothing but even if you’re just keeping them as spares, its an excellent value.
When it comes to iPhone 3G skins, there is a veritable sea of choices. Pretty much every company that makes protective skins has thrown its hat into the ring, and it takes something special to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Some, like BestSkinsEver, compete on price. Others, like InvisibleShield, rely on market share and retail store availability. That brings us to the most recent skin I’ve tried, the NLU Bodyguardz.
The Bodyguardz name first came up in a discussion about another skin product, and I was surprised by the number of positive remarks. My curiosity piqued, I decided to see what the hubbub was about.
When the skin arrived, my first reaction was to the attention in the packaging. BestSkinsEver cuts costs by shipping in a plain letter envelope with no packaging or instructions whatsoever, but that is not the case here. Similar to the more elaborate InvisibleShield, the Bodyguardz comes in a full size box with application solution in a spray bottle and a small plastic square for squeegeeing excess spray from under the skin.
Application is fairly straightforward. It comes in two pieces, front and back, with 4 folds to cover the chrome edges, top and bottom. The application solution (spray bottle) appears to be the same or similar to the InvisibleShield equivalent and works well enough. One thing I noticed is that while the BestSkinsEver shield slid around easily, allowing for precise positioning, the BodyGuardz was very quick to grip and required a removal and re-spraying on my first attempt. Technique is everything, make sure it is well moistened and apply from bottom to top (or top to bottom, your choice), squeegeeing as you go to remove bubbles and liquid pockets.
When you’ve finished applying it, you’ll be disappointing. Lots of little imperfections, bubbles and such that you couldn’t remove. Don’t fret! This is the nature of these products. I’ve had the same experience with the rest of the shields. Be sure to allocate at least 12, preferably 24 hours or more before you start using the iPhone again. The quality of the application improves with time and after a few weeks, it should look perfect as long as you lined it up reasonably well.
(Right after application)
(24 hours later)
As you can see, just one day really improves the quality of the application. Don’t freak out and reapply if it doesn’t look great. Give it a day, if it still has huge bubbles then try the second one.
Like usual, I will try to keep my conclusion fairly straightforward. The Bodyguardz is a fine product and definitely high quality. While they can’t quite beat the price of the super-cheap and no frills BestSkinsEver, they are definitely a cut above in simplicity and ease of application (less tabs and folds, included application spray). The clarity also looks slightly better in a direct comparison. If you find a friend who needs a skin and is willing to split the cost, you’re looking at about $13 for the Bodyguardz full package. This is only $5 more than the BestSkinsEver, but the double pack’s $25 price tag is enough to make a difference if you aren’t splitting up.
The comparison most are probably looking for is Bodyguardz vs. InvisibleShield, as they are comparable in price and product, and competing for the same marketshare. I can say without hesitation that I recommend the Bodyguardz shield. Zagg has shown themselves as a very poor company in my, and the experiences of others, so I try to avoid them where possible. I removed my iPhone invisibleshield already so I couldn’t judge relative clarity, but I believe them to be negligible in difference. The application process is almost identical and I can’t give a nod in either direction. The clincher? Bodyguardz includes two skins in their $24.99 purchase price, so you’re getting twice the value for the same money.
