Finest iPad Apps

One of the most downloaded paid games in the last week is a remake of Nokia’s snake game “Snake’97”. This simple emulator uses the skins of mobile phones of the late nineties as controllers and it looks like people are loving the idea. I’m all in for remakes, but surely there has to be something better than turning your iPhone into a Nokia 3310.

Whenever I see a new name in App Store’s top 25, I quickly go and read the description hoping it will be the next big thing. Very often, it’s only a crappy freemium game or a novelty app, making me feel disgusted and out of touch with that majority of users. Fortunately, thanks to Carter Dotson and his interview with the developer in The Portable Gamer podcast, I discovered the best iOS game inspired by Nokia’s snake – and yes, it’s nowhere near the top chart positions.

Hard Lines [iTunes Link] by Spilt Milk Studios is the superb take on the classic Nokia snake, mixing Tron light cycles mechanics, awesome game modes and a pixelated retro look that works really well on both iPhone and iPad screen resolutions. 

Find your true love by sailing away into the sky in Startales for the iPad. Touch the stars as you soar into the heavens, use momentum to gain speed and balance from cloud to cloud.

Features:

• Tap on a cloud to grab it and to balance
• Kid-friendly game
• Use momentum to move around
• Reunite with loved ones by gathering stars
• Use comets in space to boost your speed
• Online leaderboard

Video:

Check out Startales on the iPad for free from iTunes.

Become the head of the country in the fantasy RPG game, Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim. The land’s prosperity rests on your shoulders. Explore new territories, fight monsters, manage economic and scientific development, and solve unique tasks.

Features:

• Legendary indirect control strategy
• 10 types of heroes
• Dozens of statistics, weapons and armour
• 30 upgradeable building types
• 3 difficulty levels
• A dozen types of monsters
• 8 scenario missions+ a bonus one
• Several dozen spells
• 100 game achievements

Video:

Check out Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim on the iPad for $2.99 from iTunes.

Don’t feel like shelling out money for the full version of Cowboys & Aliens? Get the lite version and defend Silver City from attacking aliens.

Features:

• Dual-stick shooter
• Strategy defense elements
• Collect valuable resources for repairing the town
• Plan your defenses and upgrade your town’s automated “posts”
• Use two virtual control sticks to maneuver and fire

Video:

Check out Cowboys & Aliens LITE on the iPad for free from iTunes.

Trying to figure out where to find the UDID or serial number of your iPad, iPod touch, or iPhone? There are many reasons you may need to look up your UDID, IMEI, or serial number of your iOS device. While earlier generations had the serial printed on the back casing of the device, many newer models don’t. There are still several ways you can obtain this information both natively on your device or via iTunes.

Follow along to find out how.

As a side note, a lot of information is taken out for privacy reasons. Obviously your fields will not be empty.

Serial Numbers

There are a few ways to obtain serial numbers. The most common in under Settings.

1. Tap Settings and go into General.
2. Now click About.
3. When you scroll down you’ll see quite a bit of device information including your serial number. (As a side note, users on 4.x will not see the UDID/ICCID number on your device like in the picture above. I believe this is a new feature in iOS 5.

If your iOS device will not boot and it has a SIM tray, you can also pull out the SIM tray and view the serial printed on it. As long as your SIM tray has not been mixed up with anyone else’s, it should be the correct serial number.

UDID numbers

To view your UDID number in iTunes, use the following steps –

1. Open iTunes with your device plugged in and you will see your device name and information. Tap where your phone number is a couple times and it will eventually show your UDID number (also known as ICCID). This is the number you have to have on file to test developer builds of iOS.



2. If you need to paste this number somewhere, simply go to the top of iTunes and click Edit and then Copy. This will paste your UDID number to the clipboard. From there you can easily copy it into an e-mail or text document.

To view your UDID number from on your device, use the following steps –

1. Download a UDID app from the App Store. There are several available and most are free. I use UDID by Sean White (Free – iTunes Link)
2. Simply open the program and it will give you all of your device information.



3. You can then copy it into an e-mail or just view it.

Viewing device information from programs like UDID are especially convenient if you aren’t home to plug into iTunes and need to access the information quickly.

But what if your device is stuck in restore mode and you can’t load this information in iTunes or on the device?

You can still pull the information if you have a previous backup file as the backups are saved as “UDID – Date”.

Simply navigate to the following location and view your UDID as the name of your backup –

Backup locations in Windows

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

Backup locations in Mac OS X

~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup

Have you used any of these methods or a different one? How’d they work for you?

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to news@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

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Georgia, Seth, and Rene discuss iPad 3 release dates, the latest in Apple vs. Google and Lodsys patent pugilism, counting iPads, web apps still sweet, we want Nintendo games, Twitterific, Boxee, and Facebook contacts cleanup. This is iPad Live!

• Show notes

Hosts

• Georgia @GeorgiaTiPb)
• Rene @reneritchie)
• Seth @sethclifford)

Credits

Thanks to the TiPb iPad Accessory Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Music Hear me Roar by iPad Live theme song contest winner, DieselJesus!

Yours truly was lucky enough to sit in with the big Android Central brain trust of Phil, Jerry, and Alex to discuss the details and ramifications of Google buying Motorola Mobility — at least as far as anyone can discuss them this soon after the announcement. Show notes can be found via the link at the bottom. Now go listen.

• Download it directly with this link
• Subscribe directly to the Podcast feed with your favorite Podcatcher here
• How to subscribe in Google Listen (YouTube link)
• Subscribe in iTunes
• Subscribe in Zune Marketplace

[Android Central]

Last Friday TiPb heard that while Apple had considered releasing iPad 3 as early as this fall, it ultimately wasn’t going to ship until the now traditional spring timeframe. Now the intermittently reliable Digitimes is reporting that Apple has cancelled orders with suppliers for iPad 3 parts for this fall.

Apple was originally set to launch its iPad 3 in the second half of 2011 with a supply volume of 1.5-2 million units in the third quarter and 5-6 million in the fourth quarter, but Apple’s supply chain partners have recently discovered that the related figures have all already been deleted, the sources pointed out.

Further, we theorized part of the reason could be the costs and yield rates of the reported 2048×1536 Retina Display, which Digitimes

The sources believe that the yield rate of the 9.7-inch panel that feature resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 may be the major reason of the supply delay since such panels are mainly supplied by Japan-based Sharp with a high price and Apple’s other supply partners Samsung Electronics and LG Display are both unable to reach a good yield.

They also report that backlighting and other issues with the Retina Display may also be playing a part. If Digitimes proves accurate, it’ll be interesting to see if the other part of our tip pans out — that iPhone 5 is set for October 7.

[Digitimes]

Double At is a new jailbreak tweak that is dead simple but extremely useful. If you’re tired of entering your e-mail address for everything and you’re jailbroken, you may want to give Double At a try.

You can define your e-mail address within Double At and when you need to enter it into a form, double tap the “@” symbol on your keyboard and it automagically inserts your e-mail address into the field.

It’s simple but definitely helps if you’re the type of person that either constantly has to fill in forms with your e-mail or send your e-mail address to people via Twitter, e-mail, or whatever means you find necessary. Hit the link below to check it out!

Double At

CrackBerry.com’s full review of the BlackBerry Bold 9900 touchscreen, QWERTY smartphone

Kevin Michaluk of sibling site CrackBerry.com has just posted his BlackBerry Bold 9900, with all the detail you’d expect, and a slick new presentation style that’s certain to wake you up. While many may think the new BlackBerry Storm 3 full screen BlackBerry Torch will be the true iPhone competitor from RIM, it’s hard to bet against the thing BlackBerry does best — front facing QWERTY.

Bottom line, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the best BlackBerry to date. We love the design, and the upgraded hardware platform delivers a ton of performance to the end user. It really is the best of BlackBerry as we have known it.

That said, there’s nothing fundamentally different in BlackBerry 7 that’s going to change the way you use your BlackBerry. For some that’s not a bad thing. For others it may be. There has always been a lot to like in the BlackBerry OS. And this is the same BlackBerry OS, with the same strengths and the same weaknesses. It’s still by far the best mobile platform for communication and it’s still lagging in areas like the quality third party apps.

So if you’re walking into a store this fall, iPhone 5 on one side, Android phone de jour on the other, would you walk past them for a BlackBerry Bold 9900? Check out Kevin’s review and let us know.

[CrackBerry.com]

Webwereld took a look at the visual evidence presented against the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that got it banned from sale in most of the European Union, and has called shenanigans. Jerry from Android Central explains:

In Apple’s images, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 has been shown with a different aspect ratio (1:36 as opposed to the actual 1:46 — the iPad is 1:30), causing it to more closely resemble the dimensions of the iPad. This accounts for a full eight percent difference in the “short” side of the Tab, and you can see the result above. If that weren’t enough, the Samsung logo has been removed from Apple’s image, and of course it’s shown with the app drawer open instead of the normal home screen view.

Certainly seems like someone has some explaining to do!

[Webwereld via OSNews, Android Central]

In what has to be one of the greatest keynotes of all time, replete with canned applause and canned questions, TabCo Fusion Garage announced the JooJoo2 Grid 10 tablet, and a Grid 4 smartphone.

They’re built on an Android foundation but with their own proprietary GridOS layer on top of it, and are doing this, they say, because Android might not really be popular, it might just be the only alternative… for now. In other words, they’re position Grid as the best user experience alternative to iPhone and iPad.

Seriously, they’re such a confusing mix of endearing and obnoxious, I’m not sure whether to lampoon or laude them. They’re an underdog you want to root for as it gets the $#!+ kicked out of it.

It’s almost enough to make you want to line up for a JooJooPhone. If you could line up for one, that is.

UPDATE: Video after the break!

[Android Central]

Grid10Beat0812 from Grid on Vimeo.

There are a couple of conflicting stories this weekend about wether or not Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5 — which could be set for launch on October 7 — will have 4G LTE wireless networking built in.

BGR claims to have caught a glimpse at a plist file (preferences list) from an iPhone carrier that shows some interesting LTE info:

BGR has obtained evidence of an internal iOS test build from one of Apple’s major carrier partners, and buried in the firmware is a property list (.plist file) for LTE. This doesn’t necessarily mean every Apple device that’s about to be released will feature an embedded 4G LTE modem, but it certainly means Apple isn’t sitting on the sidelines as 4G LTE networks continue to roll out around the world.

The Cell Phone Junkie, however, points out that the chips Apple probably wants to use still won’t be ready until 2012:

Typically, a switch in chips would require a 3-4 month production process on Qualcomm’s part for the initial order. This would mean if the iPhone 5 was using anything other than the MDM6600 for an October release, we would have likely heard about a leak (like the one from the The Street for it launch) for the switch to something different. And unless Apple is pushing the device launch into early 2012, I don’t see a chip switch happening this year.

So how do we reconcile these apparently conflicting reports? Apple almost certainly has LTE iPhones in the labs so they no doubt have iOS builds that can run the radio. It’s possible the plist entry exists for lab testing but not for real world use.

That means we’d still get an HSPA+ “4G” iPhone 5 in 2011, but would still be waiting on an LTE 4G iPhone 6 in 2012.

Unless of course Apple’s managed to work a miracle and decided to make iPhone 5 the first AT&T LTE device…

[BGR, The Cell Phone Junkie]

Daily Deal: 60% off OtterBox Defender Series Case for AT&T/GSM iPhone 4

For today only, the TiPb Store has the OtterBox Defender Series Case for the AT&T/GSM iPhone 4 for on sale for a whopping 60% off. That’s three full layers of protection for less than most cases charge for one! We’re talking the full plate armor option here people! What are you waiting for — go get it before it’s gone!

• Shop Otterbox Defender for AT&T/GSM iPhone 4

BGR has obtained evidence of an internal iOS test build from one of Apple’s major carrier partners, and buried in the firmware is a property list (.plist file) for LTE. Continue reading →

This self-adhesive laser cut backing will change colors in the range 90 to 95 degrees F – or just below body temperature. At only .005″ thick, it’ll fit nicely under any bumper you put on your phone too. Scientifically proven to make your phone look SIX TIMES better than everyone else’s.
Continue reading →

Do you know japanese web browser “Sleipnir” ? Sleipnizer provide hi-speed browsing like Sleipnir’s features for Safari! No more waiting time for open link, move tab, close tab, restoretab, scroll and more.Continue reading →

IconCommands performs specific actions for the number of the amounts of times you tap on an icon.(Activator for icons) For example: you can tap on an icon twice and the delete alert for that icon will pop up.Continue reading →

There are hundreds of thousands of iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps for just about everything — so how come the one you need, the one you know just has to be there, is so hard to find? Enter TiPb’s weekly feature where staff and readers alike sort through the App Store and help you find just the right App for That. This week, Jeremy asks:

I have had several cases where it would be extremely helpful to have some kind of note taking application on my iPad that had a focus on an associated picture. For example, I’m looking for an app that will let me take pictures of someone in different poses and have notes on them to show to other people later, write down my thoughts, and then review them all at once later.

Thank you for any help you can provide!

To see what we found for Jeremy, follow along after the break!

Awesome Note HD [$4.99 - App Store link] is the perfect app for Jeremy! In addition to many other cool features, Awesome Note HD allows you to create notes that contain both photos and text. You can also create custom folders for better organization. As a photographer, this is great for Jeremy, because he can have different folders for poses, location scouting, landscapes, etc.

Although Jeremy is specifically asking for an iPad app, Awesome Note is also available on the iPhone [App Store link] and can be synced with the help of Evernote or Google Docs.

The free version of Awesome Note [App Store link] has a limit of 10 notes and does not have syncing ability, but it’s a fantastic way to try out the app.

Anyone else have any App for That suggestions for Jeremy? Let him — and all of us — know in the comments.

Having trouble finding what you need in the app store? Send us an email to news@tipb.com and let us know what you’re looking for, and we’ll do our best to find you just the right App for That!

Impress family and friends by mixing the perfect drink with Speakeasy Cocktails: Learn from the Modern Mixologists for the iPad. The app has over 90 minutes of video tutorials, interactive recipes, advice from award-winning bartenders and more.

Features:

• A unique collection of 200 recipes
• 40 HD video tutorials
• All drink recipes are fully interactive
• Recommendations for spirits, liqueurs, mixers and more
• Buying guide
• History of the speakeasy
• Interactive map with 44 of today’s secret speakeasy
• Photography of classic cocktails

Video:

Check out Speakeasy Cocktails: Learn from the Modern Mixologists on the iPad for $9.99 from iTunes.

Phoenix HD brings the intense shoot’em up action to the iPad. No level is ever the same thanks to the generated content maker.

Features:

• 60 fps of visual awesomeness
• Dynamic Difficulty, adapts its difficulty to the player skill
• Procedurally Generated Content, no game will be the same
• Regional High Score Ladders and Game Center Support
• Plenty of Weapons and Power-ups

Video:

Download Phoenix HD on the iPad for free from iTunes.

Looking for a good RSS reader? Look no further than Perfect RSS Reader for the iPad. Connect your Google Reader account and start enjoying and managing your account.

Features:

• Syncs with Google Reader
• Offline browsing with fast image caching
• Best reading experience
• Unique photo browsing mode
• Manage subscriptions and folders
• Sharing with Evernote, Facebook, Twitter, Instapaper, ReadItLater, Delicious, Tumblr, etc

Check out Perfect RSS Reader on the iPad for $1.99 from iTunes.

Swipe, tap and hold to guide The Last Rocket named Flip. Journey through 64 rooms of dangerous objects that stand in your way such as fans, spikes, flamejets, mines and more.

Features:

• 8-bit graphics
• Multiple endings and achievements
• 12 original chiptunes

Video:

Check out The Last Rocket on the iPad for $2.99 from iTunes.

Google has filed a request with the United States Patent on Trademark Office (USPTO), asking that 2 of the patents Lodsys is using the troll iOS and Android developers be re-examined.

“We’ve asked the US Patent Office to reexamine two Lodsys patents that we believe should never have been issued,” Google senior vice president and general counsel Kent Walker told Wired.com in a statement. “Developers play a critical part in the Android ecosystem and Google will continue to support them.”

While re-examination could get the patents thrown out, the more common result seems to be a narrowing of focus. Likewise, while the ongoing Lodsys lawsuits could be paused pending the re-examination, there’s no guarantee of that either.

It’s nice to finally see Google take some action, though Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents seems non-plussed:

While I agree with Google’s senior vice president and general counsel Kent Walker that those patents should never have been issued, I don’t consider those reexamination requests — unless they will be accompanied by more forceful and useful measures very soon — a serious commitment to supporting Android app developers against trolls. If this is all that Google does, it’s too little, too late, and calling it “half-hearted” would be an overstatement.

Apple, by contrast, has filed a motion to intervene in the cases. Apple, Google, Microsoft and others are already licensed under an agreement with previous patent holder, Intellectual Ventures. There was a theory that the Intellectual Ventures license might prevent Apple et al from trying to invalidate the patents, so either that’s not the case or Google is going for it anyway.

Meanwhile, the whole situation continues to cost developers time, money, attention, and sanity. (Which is part of why this matters.

[Wired, FOSS Patents]

Apple opened a handful of new Apple Stores today, none more amusingly placed than the one in Waterloo, Ontario, the hometown of BlackBerry maker RIM. Starting today, anyone in Waterloo who wants an iPhone rather than Bold, iPad rather than PlayBook can just wander on over. And according to @Steve_Gamble, they seem to be doing just that:

At the new Apple Store in Waterloo today. The number of Blackberries going dark is astounding!

Anyone else attending the opening of Apple in Waterloo? Any CrackBerry.com-led protests going? Let us know!

[@Steve_Gamble]