Total iPad: October 2012

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Toca Tailor for iPad

Toca Tailor is another terrific iPad game from Toca Boca. Toca Tailor is a clothing design game for kids of all ages. The app is easy to use, no learning curve whatsoever, just pick up the iPad and start playing. My daughter not only loves Toca Tailor but she enjoys all the Toca Boca games. If you have younger children and are looking for great games that will be easy for them to play but also give them hours of enjoyment then I encourage you to check out the entire lineup of Toca Boca iPad apps.

KEY FEATURES:

4 fun characters to choose from

Mix, match, rotate and adjust 24 different fabric patterns

Create your own unique patterns with the camera feature

Add 24 different clothing details – buttons, bows and much, much more

Style characters with 30 cool accessories – glasses, moustaches, jewellery

Use the built-in camera to create your own background for style snapshots

Easy-to-use, kid-friendly interface with incredible creative possibilities

Beautiful original graphics

No rules, stress or time limits – play any way you want

No third-party advertising

No in-app purchases

Toca Tailor is only $0.99 in the App Store:

Visit the Toca Boca website.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Pinnacle Studio for iPad

Pinnacle Studio for iPad is a terrific iPad application for editing video on the go. Pinnacle Studio has become my favorite video editing application on my iPad, I have been using Pinnacle Studio for about a month now. Previously Pinnacle Studio was known as Avid Studio. Avido Studio was sold to Corel, the name was changed a ton of new features were added to this awesome application.

You can download it in the App Store for only $7.99:

http://goo.gl/W32gA
Enhance:

Use Montage templates to create multi-layer 3D animations, transitions, and titles

Help your story flow using 16 transitions—including high-quality dissolves, fades, and more

Easily composite video tracks to create layered looks.

Generate professional-looking motion titles and graphics with full control over text, font, color, size, position, and rotation.

Create amazing Picture-in-Picture effects with full control over position, size, and rotation

Pan and zoom on your photos to create high-impact slideshows

Enjoy full-screen playback

Create Soundtracks:

Use your own audio or choose from the included sound effects

Trim audio to any length, set levels, and fade audio in or out

Use the Voiceover feature to add documentary-style narration to your videos and slideshows

You can share your work with YouTube, Facebook, Box.com, your Camera Roll and more..

System Requirements:
iOS5
iPad 2 or newer (please note: iPad 1 is not supported with release 2.0)

Visit the Pinnacle Studio website for more info.

Action Movie FX

Action Movie FX is a really cool universal iOS application. Free to download in the App Store. Action Movie FX has been updated quite a few times adding really cool effects to the application. Currently the app features some Call of Duty: Black Ops II effects that you can download for free simply by Tweeting, posting to your Facebook Wall or scanning the CoD:BOII website logo image.

Action Movie FX does feature some In-App Purchases as well, they can be purchased for an additional $0.99 for each effects package. Each package contains 2 additional effects. Don't worry, Action Movie FX does come with several free effects also.

Download it FREE in the App Store:
Action Movie FX - Bad Robot Interactive

Friday, October 26, 2012

He-Man for iPad

He-Man is a very fun slasher/action game for iOS. It is a universal game and will work on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. You can purchase additional Crystals via In-App Purchases that can be used to buy Power-Ups in the game.

The controls are very easy, left side of the iPad is to move forward or backwards. Right side of the iPad is used to attack, you can also swipe up on the right side of the iPad to perform jumps or special attacks.

He-Man is only $0.99 in the App Store, you can download the game here:

iPad - He-Man: The Most Powerful Game in the Universe™ - Chillingo Ltd

iPhone/iPod Touch - He-Man: The Most Powerful Game in the Universe™ - Chillingo Ltd

Letterpress for iPad

This was my original review of Letterpress, the game seems to have been fixed since I first wrote this:

I have had to completely close the app and relaunch it at least 30x today. Probably more. I did not have this issue with the free version of the game, it was only when I upgraded to the paid version. I am not sure if this is some sort of server issue? Maybe I have too many games going at once? Just a thought. Having more than 2 games is the entire reason I upgraded via the In-App Purchase though, if I can't have more than a few games going at once then maybe a limit needs to be placed on the app? If it is not a server issue then maybe it is a Game Center issue? I have not had a problem with Game Center games before though.

The gameplay is fun, the app is beautifully designed. That is not the issue, the issue is the game is pointless if it cannot connect to Game Center. Seems like it has this problem every 5 minutes. Then when you relaunch the game it takes 3-4 minutes for it to update before you are able to do anything in the game. This is a multiplayer game so if I can't connect to Game Center then I just wasted $0.99!

Issues I am having:

Constantly have problems connecting..

Can't create new matches even after paying the $0.99 to upgrade the free version...

Hopefully this is something that will get addressed in an update, until then I have deleted the app from iPad because there is no sense having something on there that I can not enjoy!

You can visit the Letterpress website for more information about the game.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Introducing the iPad mini

If you did not get to watch the keynote yesterday and want to know about the iPad mini in under 5 minutes then this video is for you!

iPad mini Smart Cover

I am really digging the new Smart Cover's for the iPad mini. I like the hingeless design and I am eager to try it out. I wonder if they are going to change the design of the larger iPad Smart Cover? It appears they are still selling the hinged Smart Cover's for the bigger iPad.

The iPad mini Smart Cover comes in 6 colors:

Dark Gray
Blue
Green
Blue
Pink
(Product) RED

There are no leather iPad mini Smart Cover's they are all Polyurethane. I actually prefer the leather myself.

You can find out more about the iPad mini Smart Cover on the Apple website.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Cygnett announces iPad mini cases

Today Apple announced the much anticipated iPad mini and with that announcement Cygnett also announced their product lineup for the iPad mini. I hope to be able to review a few of these cases in the near future. Stay tuned!

Leveraging some of its well-known product families and adding a few new ones, Cygnett today released information on its debut line of iPad mini cases. In all, six cases with varying colors and styles will land on store shelves and at online retailers at the same time as the iPad mini.

“We are excited to see Apple expand its tablet offerings to consumers,” said Michael Van Raay, Group Product Marketing Manager. “We’ve brought our best designs to this new device and focused on providing a wide variety of options to our customers.”

The lineup for the new iPad mini is as follows:

Workmate is for the rough and tumble iPad mini user, featuring heavy duty dual material construction. A shock absorbing case that protects the iPad mini at all costs without adding bulk. MSRP US $39.99 – Available in Slate Grey and Red.

Lavish is a sophisticated flexible view folio case that gives the iPad mini a professional look with magnetic closure, and a secure snap-on shell. MSRP US $39.99 – Available in Black & Purple.

Vector features a high-gloss and spark etched 3-D finish in design that has raised edges at the front for screen protection. MSRP US $19.99 – Available in Black and Red.

The Armour case protects the iPad mini from harm with a strong exterior shield and padded interior. MSRP US $39.99 – Available in Black and Purple.

Engima is a flexible-folding folio case with a soft-feel, rubberized finished cover and multiple viewing angles. MSRP US $39.99 – Available in Black, Pink and Blue.

Flexigel is a protective flex-case with superior anti-scratch and impact protection. MSRP US $19.99 – Available in Black and Blue.

Cygnett designs, develops and manufactures innovative digital accessories for the world’s most popular gadgets and technology. From cases and accessories for iPod, iPhone, iPad, smartphones and tablets to portable speakers, earphones, power products and laptop bags, Cygnett is celebrated as one of the world’s major digital accessories designers and manufacturers.

For more information about Cygnett products please visit their website.

The iPad Mini Event

Well, if the iPad Mini is real then it will be announced today. This time around Apple is going to stream the event to the world. You can view it on your AppleTV or via your browser. You can check the Apple website for the stream: http://www.apple.com/apple-events/

According to MacRumors you can view the stream on these devices:

The video stream requires Safari 4 or later on a minimum of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, or iOS 4.2 or later for those accessing the stream from a mobile device. Streaming via Apple TV requires second- or third-generation Apple TV with a minimum of software version 5.0.2.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Drafts updated with App.net access

One of my favorite iPad applications has been updated tonight. Drafts now allows you to post to App.net.

If you have not tried Drafts yet or do not know what Drafts is, checkout my review of Drafts:
http://totalipad.com/drafts-for-ipad/
Video Demo of Drafts

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Strategery

Strategery for iPad is a world domination game. This is one of my favorite games on my iPad, it is a universal iOS game and will work on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

FEATURES

• Challenging game of offensive and defensive strategy
• Play for a couple minutes or a couple hours (it's pretty addictive)
• Four difficulty settings, ranging from "Easy" (for the strategically impaired) to "Brutal" (risk being humiliated)
• Online battles with push notifications and random matchmaking!
• Pass-and-play multiplayer (up to 5 players)
• Automatically saves your game to resume later
• Randomly generated maps (four sizes) make every game a unique challenge
• TONS of gameplay options to tailor the game to your preferences

Strategery is only $1.99 and is available in the App Store:
Strategery - Affogato LLC

There is also a Lite version that you can download for free:
Strategery Lite - Affogato LLC

For more information about Strategery, visit the Strategery website.

[box type='info']Strategery has not been updated for Retina on the iPad 3.[/box]

Friday, October 19, 2012

Vodio for iPad

Vodio is a universal iOS video magazine application. Vodio is a really cool Flipboard like application for iOS but only instead of news it is all videos. Vodio has social integration built right into the application, you can sign in with your YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook account. When you log in with your social network accounts you will get a panel with all the videos your friends and family members have shared on those networks. But you don't need a social account to use the application, you can add panels to your Vodio stream by picking topics that interest you. I enjoy my iPad so I have panels set up for iPad Apps and iPad news videos.

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There are a ton of different channels to choose from, not just technology. Some of the channels include:

Entertainment

Comedy

Sports

Movies

Apps

Tech

Music

Cool & Inspiring

News

Viral

Celebrities

Automotive

Science

more....

In each of these channels are sub-channels, take the Game channel for instance. It features topcis that include: Xbox, Machinima, Electronic Arts, GameSpot and more..

This is a superb application, especially on the iPad and now that iOS 6 has removed the YouTube app. Vodio is the best way to not only experience YouTube but to also find more great video content on your iPad.

Two things I wish the developers would consider adding:

Vimeo - If I could get my Vimeo feed in the app I would be set to go.

Search - I would like to be able to search for videos by tags or topics.

Even without those features this is probably the best video application I have used on the iPad. I have a couple of apps that I currently use but I have a feeling they will not see much use from here on out. Vodio is free in the App Store and to be honest if you do not give it shot you would have to be insane, it is a great app, go download it. Now.

Vodio for iPad: Vodio Video Magazine - Discover, Watch and Share Great Videos - Vodio Labs Ltd.

Vodio for iPhone: Vodio Video Magazine - Discover, Watch and Share Great Videos - Vodio Labs Ltd.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Day One updates coming soon

Day One is one of my all-time favorite iOS/OS X applications. I have talked about it on a lot on Total iPad and just recently updated my video review of Day One. Being a huge fan of Day One, I am signed up for their Newsletter that tells me about updates etc. with Day One. In this newsletter yesterday I noticed that 2 new features are coming in the next update of Day One:

We’re currently working on two highly requested features for Day One: search (on iOS), and tags. Both of these features will be part of the next update for iPhone and iPad.

Search is the one thing Day One on my iPad has been missing and I am glad it is finally making it's way to the iPad app. I assume tags are an obvious addition to go with the search

If you have not tried Day One yet then don't wait any longer, grab it now:

Day One - Journal - Bloom Built, LLC (iPad)
Day One - Journal - Bloom Built, LLC (iPhone)
Day One - Bloom Built, LLC (OS X)

For more information about Day One visit their website.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Episode 32 - Total Failure

This week on the Total iPad podcast we talk about everything except the iPad, only kidding. We talk about the iPad "Mini" name and how it sounds utterly ridiculous. Is the iPad "Mini" going to stick a fork in the Surface before it even launches? What has Microsoft done lately to get consumers excited? Speaking of the Surface, have you watched the commercial? In my opinion it seems like they ripped off the Smart Cover comercial.

iPad Air
iPad "Mini" Event
Smart Cover commercial
Surface Commercial
EarPods

Follow Total iPad on Twitter @TotaliPad.
Like Total iPad on Facebook.

Cygnett Alumni for iPad

The Alumni is another terrific iPad case from Cygnett, Total iPad's favorite iPad accessory maker. The Alumni retails for only $29.99 and features 4 beautiful colors: Blue, Green, Black and Pink. The Alumni is made of a canvas fabric and will help protect your iPad from dings and scratches.

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The Alumni has built-in magnets that will allow your iPad to take advantage of the sleep/wake function. The magnets will also double as a way to keep the Alumni front cover securely closed when the iPad is not in use. I did not have to add any additional magnets to the Alumni like I did with the Glam Rock, the Alumni is ready to go out of the box. The sleep/wake function works flawlessly with the Alumni.

The iPad fits nicely into the Alumni and I was able to access the buttons and ports while my iPad was in the Alumni case. The 30-pin connector is easily accessible to plug your USB cable into, I could not use my dock though while my iPad was in the Alumni but that should be expected. The earbud jack was also easily accessible when plugging my headphones into the iPad while in the Alumni case. I also had no problems using the volume buttons and mute/rotate switch on the side of the iPad. The rear of the Alumni has a tiny opening cut out so I could use my rear facing camera on my iPad if I needed too.

Overall the Alumni is a stylish iPad case that seems to be geared at the younger audience. It has an inside pocket that would be a nice place to store notes for class. Factor in the bright colors of the Alumni and this just screams high school. That is not a bad thing and is only my opinion. I would easily recommend the Alumni to anyone looking for a stylish iPad case that not only looks good but also protects your iPad from bumps and bruises. Factor in the price tag of only $29.99, you would have to be insane to not consider the Alumni. Check out my video demo below for a more detailed review of the Alumni by Cygnett.

Pros:
Magnetic closure
Nice canvas fabric outside
Protect iPad screen from scratches

Cons:
No way to stand up the iPad

For more information about the Alumni case from Cygnett, please visit their website.
Check out the other terrific Cygnett iPad accessories.

[divider]

Also See my other Cyngett Reviews:
Cygnett Glam Rock Review
Cygnett Aerosphere Review

Leather or Polyurethane Smart Cover?

I have been asked several times which Smart Cover I prefer, the leather or the polyurethane. It boils down to preference but I do have my own opinion which I don’t mind sharing.

The leather is my choice for Smart Cover and for several reason:

Feels more sturdy when standing up the iPad using the Smart Cover.

When the Smart Cover gets broken in, it has a more natural look to it.

Smells better, it is leather and leather smells sooooo good.

Doesn’t get dirty or dingy looking like the polyurethane cover does.

Do you already own a Smart Cover? Which did you buy, leather or polyurethane? Let me know on Twitter @TotaliPad.

Leather Smart Cover - $30.99 on Amazon

Polyurethane Smart Cover - $12.99 on Amazon

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

EarPods by Apple

I have been using the new EarPods for a couple of weeks now since the iPhone 5 launched. I decided to purchase me an additional pair to use with my iPad and figured I should do a quick overview of them. So here is my opinion on the EarPods and what I think about them compared to other earbud style headphones.

The first question most people ask me: “Are they worth the $29 they cost?” This is an easy answer for me, YES! For $29 you get what you paid for, they are not the best earbuds on the market but they don’t cost nearly as much as those high end earbuds cost.
For example, I paid $149 for Beats Tour In-Ear Headphones and if you compare them with the $29 Apple EarPods, the EarPods will be the better buy. They sound almost every bit as good as the high end Beats but at a fraction of the cost. I know most audiophiles do not consider Beats to be high end headphones but they sure are priced like high end components.

The volume rocker on the new EarPods is a nice redesign vs. the old style Apple EarBuds. The older earbuds were a pain in the rear when you wanted to mute your music or lower the volume. They never seemed to work correctly, Apple has changed the design and now you can feel the +/- button raised a tad on the ends and the middle is slightly recessed for easy access to the mute button. This is a very subtle but much needed change to the EarPods.

The bass is deep in the EarPods, much more so than the older earbuds that Apple sold before. I guess it depends on the type of music you listen to, but for me the added bass is a nice touch. I have read several blogs online stating it was too much bass though, again I think this is opinion based on your preferred music genre.

The overall sound of the EarPods is slightly improved over the older Apple earbuds, although they do not seem as loud as the older earbuds. That could be the main reason they sound better, I think before the sound would get drowned out when I would have my iPad on full blast. If you are looking for a decent pair of in-ear headphones with built in microphone and volume switcher built in then I would highly recommend you check out the EarPods.

Highlights:

Deeper, richer bass tones

Greater protection from sweat and water

Control music and video playback

Answer and end calls

Monday, October 15, 2012

Kingdom Rush for iPad

Kingdom Rush for iPad is one of my all-time favorite iPad games. Kingdom Rush is a typical tower defense style game but with a twist, you have different modes of game play you can challenge in the game. If you defeat each mode you earn stars that can be used to power up your towers or soldiers during gameplay. You will need to use your power-ups wisely to continue advancing to the harder maps, you have 2 difficulty levels: easy and normal.

The overall gameplay is quite enjoyable and now that the game offers additional weapons that you can purchase in the Gnome Shop the game is a tad bit easier to defeat. The 4 bonus levels that are now included and very challenging, I highly recommend using the additional weapons for the bonus levels your first time running through the bonus maps. Also, you need to have at least a 50 star level before jumping into the bonus maps or you will basically have no hope of defeating the levels. The bonus levels are much more difficult than the traditional maps that were included with Kingdom Rush.

The game does offer In-App purchases but honestly you can easily earn your gems in the game and only need the IAP if you don't feel like earning them during normal gameplay. The In-App purchase range from $0.99 to $4.99 per pack.

[photos_bar]

If you find any level of Kingdom Rush to be too difficult you can head to their website and view their strategy guide, the game is no fun though if you follow along with their video showing you how to defeat the level. But if you must, you can find the strategy guide HERE.

• Epic defense battles that will hook you for hours!
• Command your soldiers and see them engage in hand to hand cartoon battles!
• 8 specialized tower upgrades to customize your strategy! Mighty Barbarians, Arcane Wizards, Forest Rangers to name a few.
• Over 18 tower abilities! Have your Sorcerers summon earth elementals and polymorph your enemies!
• Over 30 different enemies, from Goblins to Demons each with their own skills! (Beware of the mountain Trolls!)
• Intense boss fights never seen on a defense game!
• Hours of gameplay with over 50 achievements
• Extra game modes that will challenge your tactical skills to the limit.
• High definition awesome illustrated cartoon art!
• In-game encyclopedia with information from your towers and enemies.

You can download Kingdom Rush for iPad in the App Store for only $2.99: Kingdom Rush HD - Armor Games Inc

For more information about Kingdom Rush you can visit the official Kingdom Rush website.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

AudioBooks.com (review)

Tick-tock, tick-tock... don’t you wish you had more free time? Time for yourself, perhaps time to read? If you are anything like me, you may find it tough to find the time to sit down, relax, and read. If so, Audiobooks.com may be a great solution for you.

Why Audiobooks.com? Well, in today’s busy, multi-tasking world, it is quite challenging to take the time to read. When I attempt reading time, I become edgy and do not have peace of mind, because I know there are other productive tasks that still need to be finished. With Audiobooks.com, I am able to read (via listening) while I clean, exercise, walk, hike, commute, and travel. I love every minute of it. I feel almost as if I’m in “The Matrix,” having knowledge downloaded into my brain. This, imo, is multi-tasking at its finest.

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Audiobooks.com features over 15k of the most popular titles available for listening. The unique thing about Audiobooks.com is that they have an unlimited, all-you-can-read plan for $29.95 per month. It comes with a free seven-day trial available. You need to enter in your payment (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, or PayPal) details upon signing up for the free trial. After the free trial ends, you will be charged $29.95 per month. So if you do not want to continue after the free trial, be certain to set a reminder for yourself on the seventh day (or sooner) to cancel. However, should you want to continue the service, simply do nothing and your membership will continue. There is not a penalty to cancel... no contracts! If you prefer a-la-carte, there is a $19.99 per book option as well.

There are several ways you can listen to Audiobooks.com... from your browser directly on your Mac or PC (compatible browsers per their website are IE9, FireFox 15.0, and Safari 6.0, however I found it worked wonderfully in Chrome as well). You can also download the free Audiobooks.com app for iOS or Android.

I have been using the Audiobooks.com app on my 3rd generation iPad, iPhone 4s, and Samsung Galaxy S III. The thing I really enjoy about the app is that the titles are synced at the account level. Meaning that if I start listening on my GS3, then move over to my iPhone 4s, then hop onto the computer to listen in my browser, and then open the iPad Audiobooks.com app, it remembers where I left off via “Resume.” Also, as I browse the titles online, I am able to “Save for Later,” from the website, or via the app with “Save Book.”

Upon listening to the title in the app, after three minutes the title will download to your device. This is great so that you will not have to stream the content. If you are traveling and do not have data connectivity, this option really comes in handy.

I have been listening to audiobooks for many years, and am thrilled to have Audiobooks.com as a source for listening to some of my favorite book titles.

Pros:

Unlimited Books

Over 15k titles and growing

Best Sellers

Clean UI

Resume feature

Download to Device feature

Accessible on iOS, Android, and via web

Cons:

Playback is not offered at faster speeds (1.5x, 2x, 3x)

Title library is limited upon comparison with competition

Overall, I recommend Audiobooks.com. It is easy to quickly consume audiobook content, especially if you have commutes. "Unlimited Listening" is quite a bargain. Try it free for seven days, and see if Audiobooks.com is a fit for you!

Download the free audiobooks application for your iPad in the App Store: Audiobooks - Audiobooks.com

Friday, October 12, 2012

Twitter for iPad (updated)

Yesterday Twitter updated their iPad app adding a few useful features to the app. Sadly the app is still awful looking, it basically looks like the mobile web version of Twitter which is not a great thing. I personally do not like the design and do not use it on my iPad but I know many do.

If you want a beautifully designed application to use for Twitter, you should really try Tweetbot by Tapbots

What is your opinion of the official Twitter app for the iPad? Do you like the design? Please let me know on Twitter @TotaliPad.

The iPad Clock

You know this icon, correct?

Apparently Apple was accused of plagiarizing the design made famous by watchmaker Mondaine. Today Apple reached an agreement with the Swiss railway operator SBB to license the use of the clock image. Does it look similar to the clock? Yes. But, don't all clocks pretty much look the same?

The Verge has more details about this deal.

Have an opinion or comment about this? Let me know on Twitter @TotaliPad.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

LIMA SKY ANNOUNCES GROUNDBREAKING PARTNERSHIPS TO DEVELOP RANGE OF DOODLE JUMP TOYS AND GAMES

Lima Sky the makers of the fabulous Doodle Jump game that I reviewed a couple of weeks ago announced a new partnership to develop toys based on the game. Good for them, I am sure my daughter will be begging me for a Doodle Jump plush before long.

Doodle Jump is coming home. Lima Sky, creators of the award-winning, bestselling mobile gaming classic, is today proud to announce a hand-picked team of world-class designers and manufacturers to craft a complete line of Doodle Jump toys and games for all tiers of distribution. Global exclusive master toy licensee, Innovation First International, and the other licensees will work directly with Lima Sky, including founder Igor Pusenjak, to ensure each product meets the standard of charm and excellence that Doodle Jump fans have come to expect.

“Lima Sky prides itself on giving Doodle Jump fans a rewarding experience, both in terms of visual aesthetics and elegance of gameplay. Our ambitions for consumer merchandise are the same: quality of product and design sensibility must meet exacting standards,” noted Eric Karp, Chief Licensing Officer of Lima Sky. “To fulfill on that promise, we’ve chosen best in class partners to create merchandise that Doodle Jump fans will bring into their lives.”

Joining the Doodle Jump family is Innovation First International, creators of the wildly popular and internationally recognized HEXBUG® Micro Robotic Creatures brand, and the industry leader in robotics and electronic toys, has begun developing a broad assortment of novelty, collectible and robotic toys. The company is also teaming up with Gund – a division of Enesco and the most celebrated soft toy manufacturer in the world – to design a collection of both premium and value priced plush toys, for Doodle Jump fans of all ages. Retail partnerships for the summer 2013 global launch will be announced shortly, along with dozens of other licensees in every product category.

“Doodle Jump is one of the last untouched powerhouse app brands. We are thrilled to bring this modern classic into the homes of fans globally with our broad assortment of toys and collectibles,” stated Chris Troyak, president of Innovation First Labs, Inc.

With tens of millions of downloads across multiple platforms since its original release in 2009 – making it a consistent chart-topper on the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Appstore – Doodle Jump’s fan base reaches a diverse set of consumers well beyond the toy market. As such, Lima Sky will partner with a number of distinctive creators and designers in unveiling an extensive set of gaming and style products.

In addition, Innovative Concepts in Entertainment (ICE), a leading manufacturer of coin operated games is working with veteran game developer Raw Thrills to create Doodle Jump Arcade, a high-definition, coin-op arcade version of the original title. The game is displayed on a vertically mounted 42 inch tall high-definition monitor. Doodle Jump Arcade is playable at the biggest arcades in the country, including Dave & Buster’s and Chuck E. Cheese’s.

About Doodle Jump
Doodle Jump is an Apple Design Award-winning game and one of mobile gaming’s most successful titles. First released in 2009, Doodle Jump has earned continual praise for its excellence in innovation, performance, and user experience, while its addictive yet accessible gameplay has made it a must-have classic and the #3 All-Time Top Paid iPhone app. Doodle Jump is available on the iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Nokia Symbian, and Windows Phone platforms.

About Lima Sky
Lima Sky, creators of the bestselling Doodle Jump, is an award-winning video game and app development studio. It was founded in July 2008 by Igor Pusenjak, a graduate and faculty at the MFA interactive design program at Parsons School of Design in New York, and Marko Pusenjak, a veteran mobile applications developer. As one of the world’s leading independent publishers, Lima Sky is dedicated to creating entertaining and innovative games across multiple platforms.

About Innovation First International
Innovation First International and its subsidiaries (VEX Robotics, Inc., RackSolutions, Inc., and Innovation First Labs, Inc.) are the undisputed leader educational and competitive robotics products, and a growing developer of consumer robotics toys. Incorporated in 1996, Innovation First International is a privately held corporation that was founded on the belief that innovation is necessary very early in the design process to produce simple and elegant product designs.

About Gund
GUND, a division of Enesco, LLC, is known worldwide for its top quality, soft and huggable plush designs and gift products. Award-winning GUND products appeal to all ages, from infants up, and are perfect for both play and collecting. The 114-year old company is based in Edison, New Jersey, and distributes throughout the United States and Canada as well as in Europe, Japan, Australia and South America. GUND products may be found in gift, specialty, toy, book, museum and department stores and many other retail outlets.

About Innovative Concepts in Entertainment, Inc. (ICE)
Innovative Concepts in Entertainment, Inc. (ICE) has been a manufacturer of coin operated amusement sports and skill redemption games since 1982. Today, ICE carries one of the largest, most prolific product ranges in the coin operated industry. We sell our products into over 70 different countries around the globe. Our commitment to product quality and reliability as well as after sales parts and service is unparalleled.

About Raw Thrills, Inc.
Raw Thrills, Inc. was founded in 2001 by Eugene Jarvis, Andrew Eloff, and Deepak Deo to create the finest arcade video game entertainment for the world market. In 2006, Raw Thrills merged with renowned game development studio Play Mechanix, founded in 1995 by George Petro, a former designer of Midway Games, to create a new world leader in arcade games. Raw Thrills and Play Mechanix develops hit arcade games of all styles.

The iPad Mini Infographic

All the iPad Mini rumors targeted in a single post. All these rumors really help build the hype for the device, I just hope we get it soon I am getting tired of rumors I want the real thing.

VIA: Gimmitech

Are you excited about an iPad 'Mini/Air' or to be on the safe side a smaller iPad? Let me know on Twitter @TotaliPad.

Episode 31 - Android users are old

On this episode of Total iPad we discuss two topics:

What age should you teach your child how to use email

Who has the older users - iOS or Android

Jennifer gives her opinion on audiobooks.com and the iPad app. She is currently reviewing the app and her written review and video demo of the app will be posted on totalipad.com very soon. My opinion is it's a terrific application and I recommend you check it out. It is free to download.

Show Notes:
Maily
Download Maily
Total iPad Mailing List via MailChimp
iOS and Android Age Group Demographic
Audiobooks.com
Download Audiobooks.com

Tip:
Hide Newsstand

Follow Total iPad on Twitter @TotaliPad

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Development:

Remote View Controllers in iOS6
View Controller Lifecycle in iOS 6
Shenzhen

Review of the Week:

Writers App: Build Your Novel

Tip of the Week:

Buy a refurbished iPad to save money

App of the Week:

Doodle Jump HD
Doodle Jump HD Review

Bonus:

Remembering Steve

Saturday, October 6, 2012

App of the Day: Cloud Village for iPad

Looking for a fun real-time fantasy game? You should check out Cloud Village if so. I downloaded Cloud Village a few days ago when it launched and found it to be very fun, much different from some of the other 'build your garden, grow your vegetable' type games on the iPad. Cloud Village actually has a storyline behind and a very good one at that. If you are into these types of games then you will probably enjoy Cloud Village. Cloud Village is free to download in the App Store although it does offer In-App purchases to speed things along if you do not feel like waiting for your crops to grow or your buildings to be built. Cloud Village is available for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

Available for free on the App Store, Cloud Village introduces players to a race of elf-like creatures, known as the Cloudlings. They’ve had their village destroyed by an evil curse, and it’s up to players to create a brand new one for them, in a whole new location with limitless possibilities!

Constructing your dream village is achieved through a variety of entertaining gameplay elements: you’ll be asked to complete quests, grow vegetables and play exciting minigames! It’s gorgeously styled in the fashion of a children’s fantasy book, and your village can be customized with a plethora of beautiful decorations, buildings and plants- many of which can be traded with friends via GameCenter.

Cloud Village will be very familiar to fans of Fantasy Kingdoms, one of Facebook’s most popular and much-loved titles. Sneaky Games’ Cloud Village is the company’s first release since being acquired by Zattikka in April 2012. It also marks their exciting debut on the iOS platform after a triumphant series of social gaming titles on Facebook. Of the release, David Godwin, founder of Sneaky games, commented “We were absolutely delighted to be part of the Zattikka family and releasing our first game on iOS. This marks a wonderful new direction for the company, and we’re looking forward to achieving the same levels of success as we have for our Facebook titles.”

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Download Cloud Village for Free: Cloud Village - Sneaky Games

Alternatively, you can play Cloud Village on Facebook.
Visit Sneaky Games for more information about Cloud Village.

Friday, October 5, 2012

iCloud extended until 2013

Just got an email from Apple stating they extended my 20GB of iCloud storage until 2013 because I was previously a MobileMe subscriber. This is really cool of Apple to extend this to their loyal customers. Little things like this are why I continue to purchase and support the Apple ecosystem. Not only do they make the best computing products in the world they also have the world's best customer service.

When you moved your MobileMe account to iCloud, we provided you with a complimentary storage upgrade beyond the standard 5GB that comes with an iCloud account to help you with the transition. Originally, this storage upgrade was set to expire on September 30, 2012.

As a thank you to our former MobileMe members, we will continue to provide you with this complimentary storage upgrade at no charge, for an additional year, until September 30, 2013.

Glam Rock Folio by Cygnett

The Glam Rock folio case is another terrifically designed iPad accessory from Cygnett. The Glam features a beautiful shiny, high gloss patent leather outside with a soft black felt-like inside. The Glam is designed to be used with the iPad 2 and ‘the new’ iPad or iPad ‘3’ as many including myself refer to it.

Slide your iPad into the Glam and secure it in place with the velcro flap that will keep your iPad securely inside the case and keep it from sliding out. The Glam features a magnetic closure so the cover will put your iPad to sleep when you close the front cover or wake your iPad when you lift the front flap. The magnetic closure is iPad 2 ready, for the iPad ‘3’ you will have to install an additional magnet. It does not take much effort, basically you just remove adhesive tape from the back of the magnet and place it in a designated spot on the inside front door of the folio. I assume this was because the case was designed for the iPad 2 and when the iPad ‘3’ was released Apple added additional magnets in the iPad ‘3’. I have tested the case with my iPad 3 and it did not cause me any problems and worked fine for me.

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Need to use your iPad when it is in the folio? No problem, the Glam features 3 different multi-view angles so you can prop up your iPad when you want to watch a movie or lower it when you are reading a book. When I had my iPad propped-up it did not feel flimsy when touching the iPad, it felt very sturdy unlike when I stand-up my iPad using the Smart Cover. You can also lay your iPad flat when you need to type on it which really helps because it raises the iPad about an inch from the surface making it easier to type. This gives the iPad a more natural ‘keyboard like feel’ when typing on the soft keys of the iPad.

The iPad fits nicely in the Glam Rock and does not add much weight to the iPad although it does make the iPad a tad bit thicker to carry. It is not bulky just thicker but that should be expected since it is a folio case. When the iPad is in the folio case you are still able to access all the ports and buttons on the iPad. The 30-pin connector is still easily accessible to plug your USB cable into. I was also able to easily connect my Camera Connection Kit into my iPad while it was in the Glam. I could not use my dock though, but the iPad slides easily enough in and out of the case so if I needed to dock my iPad that I did not consider it a hassle. The earbud jack was also easily accessible when plugging my headphones into the iPad while in the case. I also had no problems using the volume buttons and mute/rotate switch on the side of the iPad.

Pros:

Shiny metallic finish
Multi-View angles
Magnetic closure
Very sturdy

Cons:

Not having the magnet pre-installed for iPad 3

Final Thoughts:

Overall this is a nicely designed iPad folio case and if you are looking for a case to make a fashion statement then you should consider the Cygnett Glam Rock Folio. The metallic patent leather finish looks great and the single stitch seam running along the outside of the case adds to the overall appeal. The case is designed very well so it will keep your iPad safe from scratches and probably most drops as well. My iPad feels very well padded while in the Glam Rock. I consider the multi-view angles to be an extremely huge plus, especially when watching videos on my iPad.

The Glam Rock Folio by Cygnett retails for only $59.99. When you are ready to purchase the Glam Rock you can head over to cygnett.com or follow this link to their website.

Be sure to check out Cygnett’s other terrific accessories.

Cygnett Website.
You can follow Cygnett of Twitter.
Like Cygnett of Facebook.
View their demo videos on YouTube.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

iPad Mini Case

Don't look now but an iPad Mini case has appeared by reputable case maker Cygnett. I have already reviewed a few Cygnett products and they make terrific iPad accessories. I believe it to be real.

It also appears to be actually 7" not the 7.9" size as was rumored.

Episode 30 - iCloud Overages

This week we discuss me (Christopher) going over my iCloud limit on-air. MobileMe customers who received the 20GB of iCloud storage, that is coming to an end or did we get extended until 2050? iTunes Match is nearing it's 1 year anniversary and it is time for us to renew our 1 year contract for Match. We also noticed that in iOS6 some of the stock wallpapers were removed from our iPad's.

Show Notes:
iCloud until 2050

Less Wallpapers
Doodle Jump HD
Bad Piggies
Camera+ for iPad
Glam Rock for iPad
Cygnett
Google Voice - Google, Inc.
How to enable Emoji

You can follow Total iPad on Twitter

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Netbot for iPad

Are you on App.net? If so you may want to check out Netbot from Tapbots. Tapbots is the same developer of one of my favorite applications Tweetbot. Netbot just launched today and if you are on App.net you should probably consider checking it out.

App.net is a real-time social feed without the ads. You must have an App.net account to use Netbot.

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Netbot for iPad is available in the App Store for $4.99: http://j.mp/RB6Ec6
Netbot is also available for the iPhone: http://j.mp/RB6FwB

For more information check out Tapbots website.

Doodle Jump HD for iPad

Doodle Jump HD is an iPad only game. It is a terrific and highly addictive game with super easy controls that will keep you jumping all day and all night long. Doodle Jump is one of the all-time best selling games on the iOS platform. Doodle Jump HD is the iPad only version and it is optimized for the iPad screen size. Doodle Jump HD was updated about a week ago and brought the highly popular 'Ninja Theme' to the iPad gameplay.

The game play is fairly simple, you can tap on the screen to shoot upward at monsters who are trying to block your path. To move you simply tilt the iPad to the left or right to move to the left or right side of the screen, tilt in the direction you want to move. That is it, this is the type of game play I love on the iPad because it utilizes the gyroscope and the device’s accelerometer to make gameplay much more enjoyable than actual on-screen controls.

Doodle Jump also features some social integration, you can Tweet your high scores or post them to your Facebook wall.

I just got up to 21,629 in #DoodleJump for iPad!!! Beat that! bit.ly/nE5Nn0 twitter.com/iCrizzo/status…

— christopher rizzo (@iCrizzo) October 3, 2012

Doodle Jump also features a few In-App Purchases for coins that can be used for power-ups or additional outfits. The IAP are not needed to enjoy the game and you can gather coins in the game that will allow you to purchase the same items at no additional cost.

What are you waiting for? Go buy it. Now. You can thank me later.

You can purchase Doodle Jump HD in the App Store for only $2.99: Doodle Jump HD - Lima Sky

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LINKS:
Lima Sky Website
Follow Doodle Jump on Twitter
Become a Doodle Jump fan on Facebook

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Monday, October 29, 2012

Friday, October 26, 2012

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Monday, October 22, 2012

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Friday, October 19, 2012

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

EarPods by Apple

Highlights:

Monday, October 15, 2012

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Top Stories:

Developers:

App of the Week:

Review of the Week:

Tip of the Week:

Bonus:

Friday, October 12, 2012

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Top iPad Stories:

Development:

Review of the Week:

Tip of the Week:

App of the Week:

Bonus:

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Friday, October 5, 2012

Pros:

Cons:

Final Thoughts:

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Wednesday, October 3, 2012