Apple iPad Apps

IK Multimedia Releases Huge 2.6 Update for AmpliTube!

I was just going through and trying to finish up my hands-on review of the major updates in AmpliTube 2.5 and AmpliTube Fender 1.2, and I noticed that AmpliTube appeared in my App Update list … with even MORE content added! As always there is a great combination of fixes and improvements along with in-app purchases of new amp and effect models. My review will be updated to include the version 2.6 content as well when it is published! I was reading a history of bass amplification the other day just before the update came, and amongst the classic models…


Pocket Informant Saves My Day

Ever have just “one of those weeks”? I have been having one. Between several work commitments, service appointments at my home, and some family and friend obligations, it has been a week of juggling appointments and rearranging schedules. Unfortunately, this week also highlighted my biggest complaint about iOS: iCal. I can’t stand that my only options are list, day and month. The lack of integration with tasks is also a pain. A busy schedule only highlighted these limitations, and made me realize it was time to bite the bullet and find a better option. Luckily for me, the good folks…


Spirit Walkers Curse of the Cypress Witch for iPad Review

After a string of average hidden object games (HOG), G5 has had a number of great releases in a row with the most recent being ‘Nightmares from the Deep’. Now they are back with Spirit Walkers: Curse Of The Cypress Witch, which looks to have a significant and interesting plot wrapped around a hidden object adventure. Let’s take a look! The Hype: Inspired by the legend of a hiker-attacking ghost living in the forest, Maylynn and a group of friends decide to go on an entertaining, investigative trip. Almost immediately, things take turn for the worse when one of the…


New iPhone and iPods Next Week? Or Perhaps iOS 6 Will Be the Biggest Star

Apple’s Special Event is scheduled for next Wednesday. At it, we assume, we will see the new iPhone (or whatever it’s called) and won’t be surprised if we see a new iPod lineup. We’re still hopeful we will see the iPad mini, but all indications are that Apple will wait a bit. After all, why would they announce two much-anticipated devices at the same time and, in the process, compete with themselves for attention. The iPhone 5, new iPod touch and nano etc are not, however, the reason for this post. No, this post is about the three features I’m…


Nightmares from the Deep the Cursed Heart, Collector’s Edition HD for iPad Review

Although hidden object games (HOG) are really centered around finding items and solving puzzles, I am constantly seeking great stories and interesting characters to keep me engaged. The best games in the genre – Letters from Nowhere, Special Enquiry Detail, and so on – do this well. I find that without a cohesive and compelling story throughout I struggle through a HOG. Nightmares from the Deep: the Cursed Heart has an intriguing opening sequence and setup, but does it deliver throughout the game? Read on and see! The Hype: Set sail on a mind-boggling pirate adventure! Dive into an epic…


For John Cage’s Centenary, Enjoy the ‘Prepared Piano’ App

If you have heard of John Cage, chances are it is in reference to either his piece “4’33” or his “Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano“. The CD recording of Prepared Piano I have is an out of print Denon release featuring Yuji Takahashi, but the Berman version is excellent as well. The brilliant “4?33?” speaks directly to the way Cage saw music in the world – the piece is for any instrument and is based on the I Ching and the concept of chance. The instrumentalist is not to play the instrument during the performance. I saw it performed…


Masters of Mystery Crime of Fashion HD for iPad Review

Since two of my favorite hidden object games (HOG) for the iPad involve solving mysteries (Special Enquiry Detail and Letters from Nowhere), as soon as I heard about Masters of Mystery: Crime of Fashion I was intrigued. Murder, intrigue, mystery, finding objects and solving puzzles – it all sounded great. So let’s dive right in and see how it went! The Hype: Step into the world of glamor in Masters of Mystery: Crime of Fashion. The brutal murder of a famous designer shakes the high-stakes world of New York fashion. Join Detective Carrie Chase and use interactive forensic tools to…


The Best iOS Apps for Taking Notes

We’re back with another “Best Apps for…” This time out we’re looking at the Best Apps for Taking Notes… Judie: The built-in notes app is great for quick jots, but for heavier duties, I can’t recommend AudioNote highly enough! (iPad version here.) Dan: Judie, but there is no sync except over local WiFi with Audio Note? Judie: Dan, when I’m trying to listen to a lecture, meeting or in the middle of an important interview, the audio coupled with time-stamped (in relation to the recorded audio) is invaluable. It’s not that big of a deal to me to sync later. Chris: I use…


Jane’s Zoo HD for iPad Review

Jane is back, and apparently while on vacation in Africa she saw the plight of the animals and needed to step in and intervene! So she create’s … Jane’s Zoo! Another in the line of time management games from G5, Jane’s Zoo has been out for a while on iPhone, but has just now crossed to the iPad. Let’s see what it offers! The Hype: Help Jane feed and care for wild animals in this Time Management hit with millions of fans! Jane is trying to save extinct animals and keep them thriving across 3 continents. You will travel to…


Jane’s Hotel 2 Family Hero HD for iPad Review

Time management games are a love/hate proposition for many – the frantic pacing, the evolutionary gameplay mechanics, and the basic scenarios mean that aside from the core challenge there isn’t much to hang on. Yet for other G5 games like Stand of Food Supermarket Management it works perfectly well and provides loads of fun. Jane’s Hotel was a rather basic entry into the franchise, which I didn’t find lived up to the other games I just mentioned. Will the sequel impress? Let’s take a look. The Hype: Restore your family chain of hotels in this sequel to the famous strategy…


Evernote Page Camera Turns Your Smartphone into a Scanner

Evernote has long let you snap a picture of a page of handwritten text and save it to your Evernote account. That has always been my fallback position when I was taking notes but had left my Livescribe smartpen at home. In addition, when I was in Washington last week I didn’t bring my Livescribe pen. Instead, I typed out notes during the sessions using my iPad and Apple keyboard while the voice note recorder in Evernote was also active. It worked great and I didn’t really miss the Livescribe pen. Last week Evernote went one better and, in the process,…


Seven Poets and the Assassin’s Secret Is a New Kind of Novel

When I heard about the iOS app Seven Poets and the Assassin’s Secret, I couldn’t help but be intrigued. It is a unique, real-time serialized novel centered around a fictional terrorist attack on the Olympic Stadium in London during the closing ceremony. Content runs from August through October, when real-time serialization will end. Seven Poets tells the story of seven children who are able to escape the terrorists and their struggles to survive in a new and different world. The app, which features in-app purchases for each new portion of the story, went live at the beginning of August and…


Tales from the Dragon Mountain: the Strix HD for iPad Review

Tales from the Dragon Mountain: The Strix is the latest hidden object adventure from G5 Entertainment, but it has a bit of a twist. Rather than static puzzles and object screens, we have a game that plays very much like a open-ended fantasy adventure. The opening cutscene is one of the longest and most involved in the genre, with an involved introduction that introduces Mina and her grandmother and the link between the two. The question is, do they deliver on the promise set forth in the opening? The Hype: Mina’s dreams about her grandmother Kate have become unbearable nightmares….


Gear Diary’s Best Apps for…Photography

With so many apps in the iTunes App Store it has become all but impossible to find the best of the best. To help you find the best apps we are beginning a series of posts highlighting some of the apps we personally use and rely upon. Our process is completely unscientific. We ask the Gear Diary team to list up to three apps in a specific category… something like “Best Apps for… Photography” and then collate the responses. Those that get multiple mentions go toward the top. So what are our favorite iOS photography apps? Camera+: It’s been at…


Nom Nom Paleo Recipe App Review

Sarah and I are attempting to improve our eating habits, and a big part of that is adapting a more “Paleo” style of eating. This means cutting out grains, sugar, legumes, and focusing heavily on protein, fat, fruit, and vegetables. We can come up with some basic recipes on our own, but we would get bored quickly eating the same few dishes. One of my friends has been advocating the Paleo diet and recommended the “Nom Nom Paleo” app for the iPad, and I am thrilled that he did! The app itself is visually stunning. You can flip through recipes…


Catapult King for iPhone Review; It Brings Tons of Fun

Many iPhone users have spent countless hours tossing birds at various structures in an attempt to defeat the pigs. While I do fall into this group, I have also taken a hiatus from the game series and have been searching for something fresh. Despite the change, the idea of tossing items to knock down things is still an enjoyable task. I recently found a new game that requires structures to be destroyed by flying objects and I am totally addicted. Catapult King allows users to go medieval on some castles in a fun, destructive game. Let’s take a look. Become…


Instant Business Card to Contacts Conversion with INTSIG’s CamCard App

If you’re a member of the professional world, you’re probably used to pocketing business cards like a pro. You slide them right into your pocket, only to fumble them out later for the information you need. It’s not a terrible system. If you’re a smart phone owner, however, you’ll know how time-consuming it is to manually enter business card information into your contacts. INTSIG’s CamCard app makes that process a lot faster and easier. Using your smartphone’s camera as a rudimentary scanner, the app targets the necessary information from the photo and converts it into your address book. The app,…


Sinister City Vampire Adventure HD for iPad Review

Between the latest Twilight movie and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, the vampire craze shows no sign of slowing. And that is a good thing, as the mythos provides plenty of room to explore in all realms of entertainment. The most recent addition is a new hidden object game called Sinister City: Vampire Adventure HD for the iPhone and iPad. The big news – aside from the focus on vampires – is that this is a first person game, so let’s take a look at how all of it works! The Hype: Travel to the astral plane and save your love…


‘Lost Souls: The Enchanted’ Paintings HD for iPad Review

Imagine receiving a mysterious package with a pleasant painting inside that your child finds captivating. He asks to hang it in his room, but then the next day you awake to find you child gone. It is the nightmare for any parent, and it is the opening scene of the newly released Lost Souls: Enchanted Paintings HD from G5 Entertainment. Let’s take a look and see how this hidden object game plays out! The Hype: Rescue a missing boy and immerse yourself in this breathtaking adventure! Get new G5 games for up to 40% off! Sign up for the G5…


Amazon Instant Video Comes to the iPad!

Yesterday when we talked about Hulu coming to Apple TV, my comment was that if Amazon Instant Video was also available, I would no longer have a need for the Roku. Guess what? Amazon Instant Video is now available! Here is the description: Watch thousands of titles available from Prime Instant Video at no additional cost with an Amazon Prime membership and over 120,000 videos available from the Amazon Instant Video store by installing the Amazon Instant Video app. Download purchased and rented videos from Your Video Library for offline viewing on airplanes, road trips, or any time a WiFi…


Letters From Nowhere 2 iPad Game Review

How much did I like the iOS game ‘Letters from Nowhere’ from G5 Games? Enough that after the cliff-hanger ending I immediately went to Big Fish games and grabbed the Mac version of Letters From Nowhere 2! When I heard from G5 they were bringing it to iOS as well, I stopped playing the Mac version and waited … and now I have finished the iPad game. Let’s dig right in! The Hype: Travel to the town of Nowhere and search for clues to remove the terrifying curse in this thrilling and spooky sequel! Audrey collected all the letters with…