Neat iPhone apps

[MikeVic]

Stop teasing me with Pandora!

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Stop teasing me with Pandora!

what he said

Meanwhile, it's now official, I'm the new owner of a 32 Gb 4th gen iPod Touch.


Got is as a gift for my 40th birthday. My wife did the classics box in a box in a box kind of thing and had me work for it, but I got it now. Was a big day with Halloween and all and I just finished watching the Pats game I had recorded so I'll be sitting down with this baby to fill it with the ton and a half of free (or deeply discounted) apps I've preloaded in iTunes over the last month.

FM

[DaddyTorgo]

I washed my new 6th Gen IPod Nano that I got for my birthday from my parents earlier this month last night. Now it's dead, and I'll need to shell out for a new one for myself.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Now I'm addicted to Game Dev Story... almost done my first 20-year game. Seems like it was hard at the beginning, but now I can make money like crazy and always have the #1 selling game.

I hate you all. This game has taken over my life.

Getting #1 seems fairly easy -- getting the top spot at the award ceremony? not so much.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by law90026

I did get a hardware engineer.

I had a hacker who had hardware engineer listed as a career. I then levelled up all his available careers to level 5 and that unlocked it. I'm not sure if the person needs to have hardware engineer listed in his career list though.

I'm not sure it's totally worth it. I spent a ton developing a game system but it just didn't really take off. Maybe I missed something along the way.

You have to do every job before you get hardware engineer as a job. However, if you hired someone already at a Hacker, they must have already had all of the other jobs under their belt. Director, Hacker, and a couple others don't show up until you have done some of the base jobs.

[FrogMan]

There's some big hoopla about a video player called VLC where the app developper has asked Apple to remove the free app form the App Store because they say that since it's open license, users shouldn't be restricted to the max of sharing with five others, or something like that. In other words, if you want this free video player that can handle just about anything, download now while it's still in the App Store. I have been using the portable version of VLC, running it from my USB key and it can indeed play just about anything, with just about all codecs in it, including flash movies.

In other news, iLounge just released the 2011 version of their iPod/iPhone/iPad Buyers’ Guide. For a newbie like me (and there might be others out there) I found their 2010 version well written and very informative. It sure answered many little questions I had, being all new to this iDevice thing when I read it only a couple weeks ago and I'm sure their 2011 version will have more of the same. Probably not necessary for people who've been had their iDevice for a while though.

I have decided to pass on the discounted FMHi 2010 in the hope that the 2011 version will come soon. Got plenty to tinker with for now anyway and I'll be more than happy to pay SI full price for the new version.

FM

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

I hate you all. This game has taken over my life.

Getting #1 seems fairly easy -- getting the top spot at the award ceremony? not so much.

Yeah, I've won every award for the last 3 or 4 years (well, not the worst game award) and have gotten games to be 37/40... but still no grand prize.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

There's some big hoopla about a video player called VLC where the app developper has asked Apple to remove the free app form the App Store because they say that since it's open license, users shouldn't be restricted to the max of sharing with five others, or something like that. In other words, if you want this free video player that can handle just about anything, download now while it's still in the App Store. I have been using the portable version of VLC, running it from my USB key and it can indeed play just about anything, with just about all codecs in it, including flash movies.

In other news, iLounge just released the 2011 version of their iPod/iPhone/iPad Buyers’ Guide. For a newbie like me (and there might be others out there) I found their 2010 version well written and very informative. It sure answered many little questions I had, being all new to this iDevice thing when I read it only a couple weeks ago and I'm sure their 2011 version will have more of the same. Probably not necessary for people who've been had their iDevice for a while though.

I have decided to pass on the discounted FMHi 2010 in the hope that the 2011 version will come soon. Got plenty to tinker with for now anyway and I'll be more than happy to pay SI full price for the new version.

FM

I've been using VLC, and highly recommend it.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

There's some big hoopla about a video player called VLC where the app developper has asked Apple to remove the free app form the App Store because they say that since it's open license, users shouldn't be restricted to the max of sharing with five others, or something like that. In other words, if you want this free video player that can handle just about anything, download now while it's still in the App Store. I have been using the portable version of VLC, running it from my USB key and it can indeed play just about anything, with just about all codecs in it, including flash movies.

In other news, iLounge just released the 2011 version of their iPod/iPhone/iPad Buyers’ Guide. For a newbie like me (and there might be others out there) I found their 2010 version well written and very informative. It sure answered many little questions I had, being all new to this iDevice thing when I read it only a couple weeks ago and I'm sure their 2011 version will have more of the same. Probably not necessary for people who've been had their iDevice for a while though.

I have decided to pass on the discounted FMHi 2010 in the hope that the 2011 version will come soon. Got plenty to tinker with for now anyway and I'll be more than happy to pay SI full price for the new version.

FM

I don't have an iphone so can't comment on the VLC on an iphone, but it is the best media player I've ever used on computers.

[digamma]

Free app called "Strip Club or Hair Salon." Simple little app where you guess if the name of an establishment is a strip club or hair salon. Great party/dinner group game.

[FrogMan]

the first timewaster I've tried is iSlash, anybody playing that one?

for anybody not in the know, it's a simple puzzle type game where you need to slash with a finger swipe some wooden boards on which some shuriken are bouncing. Goal is to reduce in size the wooden board to a certain percentage. Shurikens need to stay together and if one touches you, you fail the level and have to start over. Got it for free a couple weeks ago but it sells for $0.99 right now. Good Japanese theme behind it.

FM

[FrogMan]

dola, anybody got a recommendation for a solid time management (calendar/tasks/todo) type apps? I got a list of a few but I'm trying to separate them in terms of usefulness...

FM

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

dola, anybody got a recommendation for a solid time management (calendar/tasks/todo) type apps? I got a list of a few but I'm trying to separate them in terms of usefulness...

FM

For todo's with schedule, etc, I like Errands. Though I admit, I don't use any apps for traditional "getting things done" type stuff (I know people like Don't Forget the Milk, but it's not free and doesn't mesh well for my style of time/task management).

/tk

[samifan24]

It's Remember the Milk, tk, and I use it more than any other app on my iPhone but yes, you're right that you need a $25/annual pro subscription to get the most out of the iPhone app.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

For todo's with schedule, etc, I like Errands. Though I admit, I don't use any apps for traditional "getting things done" type stuff (I know people like Don't Forget the Milk, but it's not free and doesn't mesh well for my style of time/task management).

/tk

That wasn't so clear in my first post but I'm not so much into the "getting things done" thing, well a bit, but especially something that'd allow me to see mutliple calendars at once. I've had Google Calendars set for everyone in our family (wife, sons, myself and then some to be more specific) for a while now and would like to be able to see what everyone will be doing on a specific day in weekly/monthly/daily view and that I can use offline, since I'm using it on a Touch. The basic calendar.app is not giving me that ease of view. Right now, I'm looking at CalenGoo ($7), Pocket Informant ($13) and SmartTime ($8). Saisoku ($10) is another I just came upon but have not read much about...

I don't carry a dayplanner but I intend on my Touch to become it.

FM

[DaddyTorgo]

Pocket Informant is great...I used it on my windows mobile phones for years. high powered shit.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Pocket Informant is great...I used it on my windows mobile phones for years. high powered shit.

looks indeed very powerful...

FM

[MikeVic]

I'm using Errands based on recommendations in this thread, and it does what I need. I just use it as a way to track my TODOs, and use the default Calendar for scheduling. It's just me, so I don't need syncing or anything.

I'd like to hear what people do for budgeting. For the last three years, I've been using spreadsheets (Google Docs' spreadsheet to have access from anywhere). I saw some Google Docs apps, but it seemed like the spreadsheet stuff cost extra. I don't know how much I'd like using spreadsheets on the iPhone, so I wanted to try it out first and am not in a hurry to buy one then.

[Landshark44]

I use Calengoo, and I like it a lot......

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

I'd like to hear what people do for budgeting. For the last three years, I've been using spreadsheets (Google Docs' spreadsheet to have access from anywhere). I saw some Google Docs apps, but it seemed like the spreadsheet stuff cost extra. I don't know how much I'd like using spreadsheets on the iPhone, so I wanted to try it out first and am not in a hurry to buy one then.

Unfortunately Google Docs are all read only on the iPhone so there goes that option.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by samifan24

Unfortunately Google Docs are all read only on the iPhone so there goes that option.

You can edit google spreadsheets on the iphone. Just click in a cell.

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

You can edit google spreadsheets on the iphone. Just click in a cell.

Nice. I never knew that. I guess I'd only tried playing with Google docs and not spreadsheets.

[QuikSand]

There's a snappy port of the Cheapass game Button Men available for, I think, $.99.

Link here: Button Men - Beat People Up

For those not familiar, it's a very cleverly conceived fight-themed skin over an alarmingly simple abstract strategy game played with D&D style dice. Seems they have expanded the game a good deal, but for your dollar you get a lot of different setups and a decent-enough AI, it appears. Dollar well spent, I'd say.

[FrogMan]

Virus Strike is an interesting free game that I'd describe as a mix between line drawing and match-3. You can watch a gameplay video here.

They're saying it's free for a limited time so go and grab it.

FM

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

There's a snappy port of the Cheapass game Button Men available for, I think, $.99.

Link here: Button Men - Beat People Up

For those not familiar, it's a very cleverly conceived fight-themed skin over an alarmingly simple abstract strategy game played with D&D style dice. Seems they have expanded the game a good deal, but for your dollar you get a lot of different setups and a decent-enough AI, it appears. Dollar well spent, I'd say.

bought it, will try it out in the coming days...

FM

[Izulde]

I took the plunge on Game Dev Story thanks to this thread.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Izulde

I took the plunge on Game Dev Story thanks to this thread.

oh, I know I will get it in a few days whenever that iTunes gift card I exchanged for some airmiles shows up in the mail.

FM

[Izulde]

Okay, Game Dev Story is a lot of fun, even both my games were flops and I got so disgusted, I fired my programmer for making stupid suggestions and now I can't find a new one after my first attempt.

My third game isn't looking so great now without a lead coder, although all three of my games have been lauded for their pretty graphics.

[Landshark44]

i've got several "game of the year" awards, developed my own console, and made lots of money.....

[MikeVic]

I like when one of your employees is on fire and types like nuts. The sound that plays is funny and the visual is funny.

[FrogMan]

what do you guys do to manage your podcasts? Do you simply download them via iTunes or do you use a separate app for that?

I've discovered that listening to the Pats' podcast on my 25 minutes commute is pretty dang cool, especially when there's no sports news of that genre in the area...

FM

[MJ4H]

Just use itunes.

[Glengoyne]

Button men is intriguing. I'm playing quite a bit. There seems to be more to it each round I play.

[Izulde]

Holy shit. It's 2:38 am and I'm still up. No wonder I had to quit playing Game Dev Story... My eyes were burning.

[Izulde]

dola,

I think GDS's success is that it replicates the simplicity and addicting fun of something cool like the early Hollywood Moguls used to do, yet it has surprising depth for an iPod game IMO.

Now if I could just get a hardware engineer and houserule myself into not naming games as sequels unless it's a game that deserves the sequel status...

[Landshark44]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

what do you guys do to manage your podcasts? Do you simply download them via iTunes or do you use a separate app for that?

I've discovered that listening to the Pats' podcast on my 25 minutes commute is pretty dang cool, especially when there's no sports news of that genre in the area...

FM

Use- RSS Player

way easier. just set your favorite podcasts, when you open the app, they download automatically....

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Holy shit. It's 2:38 am and I'm still up. No wonder I had to quit playing Game Dev Story... My eyes were burning.

So much for the music tournament.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Landshark44

Use- RSS Player

way easier. just set your favorite podcasts, when you open the app, they download automatically....

Just curious, how is that easier than itunes?

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Landshark44

Use- RSS Player

way easier. just set your favorite podcasts, when you open the app, they download automatically....

interesting, coming up with two version of an app called "RSS Player" on appshopper:
App Shopper: RSS Player Podcast Client (Entertainment) (iOS 3)
App Shopper: Podcaster (Formerly RSS Player Podcast Client) (News) (iOS4)

would those be it? Looks interesting in that it seems you can queue many podcasts to listen back to back. Given that I listen to those while driving, it could be a plus for me.

Incidentally, I installed the free version of a podcast manager called Bookmark Podcasts Lite. Have not tried it much yet but it looks interesting.

FM

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Just curious, how is that easier than itunes?

+1

I'm not clear on what itunes is missing -- unless the problem is that you don't want to have to connect to your computer to download the latest podcasts automatically.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

+1

I'm not clear on what itunes is missing -- unless the problem is that you don't want to have to connect to your computer to download the latest podcasts automatically.

I was wondering the same thing.

/tk

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

So much for the music tournament.

Oh, I'll be back on it later today.

[terpkristin]

I just beat Sword and Poker 2. Got all the special weapons, got the crowns on all the floors. I'm not sure if I'm pleased or embarrassed. Probably both.

/tk

[Izulde]

Got my first Game of the Year finally in Game Dev Story. Considering the # of hours I got out of it now that I've pretty much done everything I wanted to, $4 wasn't bad.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Stop teasing me with Pandora!

Originally Posted by FrogMan

what he said

while it really is not the same, I had been using Jango as a replacement for Pandora in Canada. The web version used to give me some good mix of songs based what I'd say I liked or disliked. Just found this App from the Jango people: Top 100 by Jango.

While yeah, they are talking about playing top 100 songs and mention a bunch of artists that might not be among favorites of the crowd here, there are many other preset station within the app: hip-hop, rock, metal, or by decade (70's, 80's or 90's). They say they refresh the stations once a week. For what little I've tried it (installed the app around dinner time), I'm impressed with the selection of songs...

When I visited Jango - Free Music -- Listen to Music Online - Internet Radio via safari on my Touch, I was redirected to a page where they said a mobile version was in the works and I left my email addy to be alerted when it'd be available...

It's not like having Pandora, but it's something. At least makes for some decent streaming...

FM

[MikeVic]

Thanks I'll give it a shot.

[Passacaglia]

You might also try grooveshark.com in Canada.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

You might also try grooveshark.com in Canada.

looks very interesting, thanks for sharing.

This is not really an app per se, more a wallpaper, a home page wallpaper. It's fairly easy to find some cool lock page wallpaper, but home page wallpapers need to mesh well with your icons and all. I found that this one looks pretty cool on the retina display...

FM

[Antmeister]

Lately I have really been into MOG. They are a subscription service, but what is cool is that it that you have an option to download songs when you are offline to listen to at your pleasure. And their library is extensive. What is extra nice is that I can play it on the computer, my Roku and my iPod Touch, but of course you can only have one device used at a time. They have a 14 day free trial as well. Sweet app and sweet service.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Landshark44

I use Calengoo, and I like it a lot......

After much pondering between Pocket Informant and Calengoo, I ended up going with Calengoo. Does everything I want it to do, handles many different Google calendars with their respective colors, online and offline. Looks absolutely gorgeous on the retina display.

As far as other interesting non-gaming apps I'm using, I have started using errands for, well, my errands. Very well done little app.

I had been tracking my car's mileage and MPG for the last year or so on an excel spreadsheet and I knew I would like to switch that over to my touch once I got it. After looking at many different apps that do that, I ended up buying the Road Trip one. Well put together with great stats reporting.

Thinking about picking up Money Book to do some very simple expense tracking since it's for sale at $0.99 for the day. Don't really want something too powerful and after looking at the developper's website, I was impressed with his development of it. Same could be said for Road Trip's website...

Another one I think is nice is the Freedom app. It tracks apps that go free, even if for only a couple hours. Found many nice ones to try that way...

FM