Apps

Cool Wallpapers, Poynt And More! Notable iPhone and iPod Touch Apps for March 8 2010: "There's an app for that!" —

Nice Presentation From Cameron Daigle on iPad UI Design —

Answering the question, “Is the iPad just a big iPhone?” in the negative. Love this bit about the lack of hovering:

Here’s why this section is about Controls: every day, your cursor protects you from unclear UI. It helpfully turns into a text cursor as you hover over textboxes, or a hand as you hover over a link or action item.

iPad has no such thing. Bad UI will stick out like a sore thumb, both in apps and on websites. Your tappable areas had better look tappable. Your controls had better look controllable.

AT&T’s Crummy Android Phone —

AT&T’s first Android phone, the Motorola Backflip, ships with an outdated version of the OS (1.5; current version is 2.1) and comes with a bunch of AT&T-added apps that can’t be deleted. They’d do the same with the iPhone if it were up to them.

AT&T Doesn't Allow Non-Market Apps On Android-Based Motorola Backflip [Motorola] —

Apparently AT&T is struggling a bit with the whole idea of Android, a somewhat open mobile OS. Instead of embracing it and giving users a full experience, they've decided to cripple it and not allow the installation of non-market apps.

From the sounds of it, the Android OS allows for the installation of apps "purchased on alternative markets and beta apps like Swype" by default. It's a bit of a mystery why AT&T would choose to take this option away from users, but it certainly makes AT&T's first Android-based phone even more of a letdown. [XDA Developers via Android and Me via Engadget]

Hands On with TextPlus: Free iPhone Texting to Friends and Groups — One thing that makes American cell phone users stand out from our international friends and family is that we pay both to send and receive SMS and text messages. If you have an iPhone, there was a time when you couldn't even send SMS messages--and depending on how you use your iPhone, you still may not be able to. There have been a few free SMS apps for the iPhone to appear that use data networks to send free SMS messages, but none of them have quite the polish of TextPlus, from Gogii.

TextPlus is free to download and use (it's ad-supported). It lets you not only text for free from your iPhone or iPod touch but also text multiple people at the same time and start conversations with multiple contacts. The service has some quirks, but it's one of the best solutions for those who want free texting on the iPhone, or for those (like me) who have an iPod touch and want to send SMS messages over W-Fi.

TextPlus is incredibly easy to use. The app requires iPhone O 2.2.1 or higher and works with iPhone OS 3.0. Once it's installed, you simply tell the app whether you'd like to send a message to someone by entering their number or by loading up your iPhone contacts and selecting who you want to text from the list. You have the option to enter as many people as you like (up to 20 recipients for any single message), and you're taken to the message composition screen.

The app supports both portrait and landscape typing, and you can add people to ongoing conversations quickly and easily from the composition screen. For example, if you have an ongoing conversation with someone about where to meet for dinner, you can bring in someone else at any point of the conversation to get their recommendation on a dining spot and everyone in the message thread will see their responses. This is how TextPlus differs from essentially phone-based instant messaging apps: you have the ability to bring people into or remove people from a group conversation at any time, and if those other people are using TextPlus as well, they can do the same.

Once you've composed your message, just hit Send, and your recipients get your message on their phones (whether they're using an iPhone or not) from 60611. The app gives you complete control over how you text and manage your contacts; for example, you can block any of your contacts from sending you texts. You can also bring up a name and tap to call or e-mail that contact. If your recipient is using TextPlus for SMS messages and you're sending to their TextPlus account, they won't pay for it as long as you send your message to their TextPlus address.

This is where the app breaks down a little. If you're using TextPlus, you don't pay to send messages, and you won't pay to receive them as long as your contacts are sending them to your TextPlus account and not your actual phone number. If you're initiating the conversations with your friends or responding with your TextPlus account, your friends will quickly get the message, but if they continue sending standard SMS messages to your phone number, TextPlus can't intercept them, and your normal SMS messages aren't rolled into the TextPlus app.

Like any service or app that replaces default functionality, your contacts have to get used to sending messages to your account with the service for it to be useful. But if your friends are all using TextPlus, then it's a free texting party, where all of your contacts can send and receive texts for free, see threaded conversations, and people can join or exit conversations at will.

The only downside is that your friends who aren't using TextPlus don't see that your messages are coming from you; they just see that they've received a message from 60611. If they have multiple friends using TextPlus, they have to open a message to check who the sender is. When I used the app, I got a number of people who didn't respond because they didn't recognize the number. But when I convinced my friends to sign up for TextPlus and give it a shot, they were hooked, and the potential of recovering the money they spend every month on texting was a quick and easy lure.



All this doesn't change the fact that TextPlus is completely free, both for sending and receiving text messages as long as people use your TextPlus address when composing their SMS messages. And since the app uses any available data network for messaging, that means iPod touch users can get in on the action and send text messages from their iPods instead of their phones, or send SMS messages from an iPod using Wi-Fi instead of having to pay monthly for a texting plan.

The most recent update to the app included Canadian carriers, so now users in the U.S. and Canada can text one another using the service for free. The app also supports push notifications (as long as you're using iPhone OS 3.0), so you can be alerted when you get a new messages through TextPlus the same way you would if you got a standard SMS message.

All in all, TextPlus was much more than I expected. I could see some of the common pitfalls of the app and how it may not be useful to everyone in all circumstances, but it's free, the ad at the bottom is easy to ignore, and it offers features that make it easy to have conversations with multiple people in a single view. The fact that it supports multiple recipients whether they use TextPlus or not sets it apart from a number of other free SMS apps, and the fact that you can send unlimited messages to up to 20 people at a time is another stand-out feature.

QuickLaunch for BlackBerry A to Z —

One of my most used apps has to be QuickLaunch. It is an extremely valuable app that allows for easy access to loads of BlackBerry functions. You can set it to launch applications, web sites, quickly compose emails, make phone calls and more. It integrates extremely well with the operating system, and with a few clicks you can get things done instead of having to search around or click through various apps. QuickLaunch sells for $4.99 in the CrackBerry App Store and is well worth it. Check out the video above for a quick look at all of the application features. If you aren't currently a QuickLaunch user, you should be - and that's all there is to it :-)

• More information and download of QuickLaunch >>

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. QuickLaunch for BlackBerry A to Z

Tech's Need for Speed: Companies work to stay ahead of broadband demands — As new apps and devices create a need for greater broadband speed, innovative tech companies are looking far beyond what's being offered today.

Tech's Need for Speed: Companies work to stay ahead of demand — As new apps and devices create a need for greater broadband speed, innovative tech companies are looking far beyond what's being offered today.

News: Apple blocking ‘cookie-cutter’ apps from App Store? — Apple has started blocking so-called “cookie-cutter” basic applications from the App Store, according to a new report. Citing developer comments, TechCrunch reports that Apple is cracking down on applications that function as little more than glorified RSS feeds or business cards, many of which have traditionally been produced by app-building services. One such service, Appmakr, said Apple has reached out to provide suggestions which could…

Apple continues to refine App Store… —

…and we use the word refine very loosely. In the last 30 days, Apple has dropped the App Store ban-hammer on applications that display images of scantily clad women and Wi-Fi scanning/stumbling applications. The bare-naked ladies were removed because, as Apple VP Phil Schiller put it, “the needs of the kids and parents” had to come first. Wi-Fi scanning applications got the boot for making calls to a private API, which raises the obvious question… why were these applications approved in the first place? So, what is latest app genre to feel the sting of Apple’s proverbial backhand? So called “cookie-cutter” applications. Apple is beginning to reject apps that were created using application building services and do not add any specific functionality to the iPhone or iPod Touch. Or, as TechCrunch’s Jason Kincaid succinctly put it, “Apple doesn’t want people using native applications for things that a basic web app could accomplish.” Whatever the reasoning, Apple is sending a scary message to potential application developers… we can change our mind.

Read

Essential apps and utilities for PC, Mac and console gamers —

Filed under: Games, Features, Windows, Macintosh

Never, in the entirety of history, has there been so much gaming to be done. You can hardly finish a game without the Next Great Game appearing in your mailbox or on your hard disk -- because you pre-ordered it on Amazon or Steam, of course.

Believe it or not, we actually have too many good games at the moment. Until recently, gamers could dedicate themselves to a single stand-out game -- Myst, Quake, Counter-Strike, Baldur's Gate -- for months, or even years in some cases. But those days of losing ourselves in a game's universe are gone. Now we have a matter of weeks to play and master a game before another multi-million dollar title clamors for our attention.

There are many die-hard gamers that think such saturation is a bad thing. Games are becoming consumable commodities, like their steadfast film and television brethren. 'Games should be savored, not chewed' they cry. But I think they're wrong: I think what we finally have now is choice. I distinctly remember one summer where I didn't like the release -- and I had nothing to play until winter! Instead of relapsing to in-front-of-the-television, I now always have something to play. Surely that's a good thing?

But I'm rambling -- back to the point! With news of Steam's imminent release on Mac, and a truly dizzying array of Windows and console games, you need some apps and utilities to make your life easier. With so many games, and so few hours in the day, let me make your life easier!

You probably didn't even know that there are apps to improve your gaming experience, did you? Cease your fragging and farming, pour some tea, and read on!
First up, because almost every game today has a multiplayer aspect, is communication tools. Online messaging doesn't begin and end with Windows Live Messenger (MSN) and AIM! There are better and more flexible services that can improve the overall experience of online gaming -- or even your gaming skills!

• IRC -- Yup, the oldest and most steadfast chat medium is still going. IRC, or Internet Relay Chat, is the original Internet chat service. It's been going since 1988 and shows no sign of slowing down. It is in essence, a network of text-only chat rooms, though fast server/client file transfer is available.
  
  There are a lot of IRC servers -- though only a few big ones -- with each one having some kind of 'speciality'. Some are unmoderated and ideal for piracy (EFnet), while others such as QuakeNet are home to hundreds of thousands of gamers. If you're looking for like-minded gamers, or match-making, IRC could be just what you're looking for.
  
  PC: mIRC -- Mac: ircle -- Linux: XChat (I'm afraid console users will have to make do with their various 'communities'!) Multiplay has a good PC-centric guide to setting up IRC, and more advanced users should look into 'scripts' (especially if they're using mIRC).)
• Forums -- If you're a 'serious' gamer of any description (i.e. you play World of Warcraft, or a clan-based shooter) you'll already know about forums. Everyone else will just be aware of forums popping up in search results all the time -- and that's for a reason, you know! A lot of online communication occurs on forums -- perhaps even more so than blogs, forums are a huge source of constantly-updated info that you should be reading!
  
  If you're a World of Warcraft player, you should be reading and digesting Elitist Jerks. MW2 players should take a good look at Modern Warfare 24/7. If you like your forums a little more generic, you could always wade into the GameSpot forum (but it's really big, I warn you). Basically, if there's a game you like, Google it! It'll be worth it, trust me.
• Xfire -- Though it has a rather snazzy tagline, 'gaming simplified', Xfire never fails to deliver. While it started as a bit of an industry ugly duckling with very tentative support from gamers and developers, Xfire has stuck at it. Today, 8 years after its initial release, and due to its continuing and impressive innovation, Xfire now has over 15 million very happy users -- and you should be the next!
  
  What started as a 'game aware' messenger (it showed you what games your friends were currently playing), Xfire has grown into a massive (and competitive) community that facilitates your games playing. Not only is there in-game text and voice chat, but there's also a great server browser. The most recent addition is the ability to live stream your gaming-- now you can show your friends, clanmates or even the thronged masses your pro skillz over the Internet!
  
  PC: Xfire -- Mac: MacFire -- Linux: not supported, but there are some fancy chat plugins you can check out

* * *
Next, we have utilities. These are tools that augment your gaming experience -- and no, I'm not talking about speed hacks or aimbots! (But I have thrown in a few 'nefarious' tools, just, you know... in case.)

• BitTorrent -- A good BitTorrent client is the bread and butter of every gamer. Now, I'm not telling you to go out and download every game -- especially if you have a disposable income -- but sometimes publishers make it so damn hard to enjoy a game that you might as well just Torrent it. Yes, I'm talking about DRM; yes, I think DRM is an affront to the addicted stalwarts that spend their hard-earnt money on video games. You know it's sad when free, cracked and downloadable versions of games are better than the boxed equivalent.
  
  So, keep a BitTorrent client installed, but only use it when you have to. Torrents are also good if you lose the original game disc too, incidentally -- or for downloading large multi-gigabyte patches. Console gamers: you can use Torrents to get your hands on games that won't be released in your country!
  
  PC: uTorrent -- Mac: Transmission -- Linux: rTorrent or Vuze (Azureus)
• Steam -- Of course everyone's favourite digital distribution app gets a mention! In many ways, Steam is based on Xfire, but with an emphasis on content distribution that Xfire is unlikely to imitate. Like Xfire, Steam has a lot of community features and in-game chat. A lot of emphasis is placed on player profiles too -- you can see exactly what other games have been playing, and for how long!
  
  Steam has turned the industry on its head, single-handedly proving that box-less distribution has massive potential. You can often find games at a fraction of their normal cost on Steam -- and if you catch one of their crazy 'fire sales', you might find games for only 50 cents! It's not unusual to see $500 of games on sale for $29.95. That's the power of digital distribution: it costs Valve a few cents for some gigabytes of bandwidth, and that's it. The rest is profit.
  
  PC: Windows Steam client -- Mac: coming soon!! -- Linux: possible under WINE or POL. It's worth noting that Direct 2 Drive has quite a selection of Mac games, if you can't wait for Steam!
• Emulators -- This, like torrenting, is another one of those areas with questionable legality. You shouldn't technically download the ROM image of a Mega Drive game, but there's no one to stop you -- nor is anyone losing money -- so... why not?
  
  Emulators emulate a target system or operating system, be it an original 8-bit NES/Famicom, PlayStation or Game Boy Advance. In other words, they turn your PC or Mac into virtually any console ever made. Emulators can also be used to play old PC games (with DOSBox) that no longer work on Windows-based systems.
  
  I could spend the rest of this feature listing emulators, but it's easier if I just link you to a proper resource like The Emulator Zone. Be sure to hit up your favourite Torrent indexes (IsoHunt or The Pirate Bay) for more ROM images. Mac users take note: there's an entire page of emulators for you on The Emulator Zone!

* * *
Finally we come to the show-stoppers, the cherry on top -- the dessert. These are tools or apps that don't really fit the other categories but are too cool to be excluded. These won't be for every gamer, but I'm pretty sure at least one thing in the following list will catch your eye.

• Screen video capture (Fraps/Snapz) -- How better to show of your gaming prowess than with a RECORDING? The Internet is all about video nowadays. Why put your ugly face up on YouTube when you can use your pretty blonde elf instead? If you're great at a video game, why not show the world and become a star like Athene?!
  
  Of course, there's also machinima, the art of making entire movies from in-game footage. Red vs. Blue (Halo) and Tales of the Past (Warcraft) are both great examples, if you want to see what's possible with Fraps and a lot of dedication.
  
  PC: Fraps -- Mac: Snapz -- Linux: Shutter (both Fraps and Snapz are commercial... but I'm sure you can work around that).
• TeamSpeak 3 -- Most games include voice-communication of some kind now, but for games that don't, or where the implementation is poor, TeamSpeak is the solution! World of Warcraft is the biggest example of a game that needs external voice comms, but many FPS clans use them too.
  
  Ventrilo used to be the best choice, but due to draconian licensing costs a fortune to set up. TeamSpeak 3, however, is free. There's a free Linux server, and clients for both Mac and Windows. TS3 has a truly dizzying number of configuration and privilege settings -- I've been using it for a month and I still haven't worked out most of it...
  
  PC: Windows client -- Mac: OS X client -- Linux: there's even a Linux client! (the Linux server is on the same page)
• XLink -- Before the current generation of consoles and their 'live communities', the only way to link consoles together was with a 'system link'. This usually involved some kind of proprietary cable (do you remember joining two Game Boys together, back at school?) With XLink, you can play 'system link' (i.e. LAN) games over the Internet, as long as you have a computer running Windows, OS X or Linux.
  
  Warning, the logo on their site might induce seizures... (really, it's quite distracting).
  
  PC: Windows client -- Mac: OS X client -- Linux: x86 client
• Cheats, FAQs and walkthroughs -- And finally, when it's all just become too much, we have cheats. Sometimes a game can be too hard, or maybe you're just a 'completionist' that must find everything -- either way, you're going to want Gamespy's GameFAQs. Never has there been such a wealth of games-related info easily accessible! Whether you want cheat codes (do modern games even have cheat codes?) or complete walkthroughs of adventure games, GameFAQs is for you. There's also a lot of reviews from users of the site, so it's also a good site if you're looking to buy a new game.
  
  It's actually scary how detailed some of the guides on GameFAQs are -- and yes, there are guides for both PC and console games. I suppose there would be Mac guides too, if the Mac had any games...
  
  Anyway, if you're one of those gamers that has to get every trophy and achievement, check it out! (And if GameFAQs doesn't have what you're looking for, just use Google... it's almost as good.)

* * *
As always, if I've missed something that a gamer can't possibly live without, leave a note in the comments!

Essential apps and utilities for PC, Mac and console gamers originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments



Windows Live Messenger - BitTorrent - Internet Relay Chat - Video game - Microsoft

Essential apps and utilities for PC, Mac and console gamers —

Filed under: Games, Features, Windows, Macintosh

Never, in the entirety of history, has there been so much gaming to be done. You can hardly finish a game without the Next Great Game appearing in your mailbox or on your hard disk -- because you pre-ordered it on Amazon or Steam, of course.

Believe it or not, we actually have too many good games at the moment. Until recently, gamers could dedicate themselves to a single stand-out game -- Myst, Quake, Counter-Strike, Baldur's Gate -- for months, or even years in some cases. But those days of losing ourselves in a game's universe are gone. Now we have a matter of weeks to play and master a game before another multi-million dollar title clamors for our attention.

There are many die-hard gamers that think such saturation is a bad thing. Games are becoming consumable commodities, like their steadfast film and television brethren. 'Games should be savored, not chewed' they cry. But I think they're wrong: I think what we finally have now is choice. I distinctly remember one summer where I didn't like the release -- and I had nothing to play until winter! Instead of relapsing to in-front-of-the-television, I now always have something to play. Surely that's a good thing?

But I'm rambling -- back to the point! With news of Steam's imminent release on Mac, and a truly dizzying array of Windows and console games, you need some apps and utilities to make your life easier. With so many games, and so few hours in the day, let me make your life easier!

You probably didn't even know that there are apps to improve your gaming experience, did you? Cease your fragging and farming, pour some tea, and read on!
First up, because almost every game today has a multiplayer aspect, is communication tools. Online messaging doesn't begin and end with Windows Live Messenger (MSN) and AIM! There are better and more flexible services that can improve the overall experience of online gaming -- or even your gaming skills!

• IRC -- Yup, the oldest and most steadfast chat medium is still going. IRC, or Internet Relay Chat, is the original Internet chat service. It's been going since 1988 and shows no sign of slowing down. It is in essence, a network of text-only chat rooms, though fast server/client file transfer is available.
  
  There are a lot of IRC servers -- though only a few big ones -- with each one having some kind of 'speciality'. Some are unmoderated and ideal for piracy (EFnet), while others such as QuakeNet are home to hundreds of thousands of gamers. If you're looking for like-minded gamers, or match-making, IRC could be just what you're looking for.
  
  PC: mIRC -- Mac: ircle -- Linux: XChat (I'm afraid console users will have to make do with their various 'communities'!) Multiplay has a good PC-centric guide to setting up IRC, and more advanced users should look into 'scripts' (especially if they're using mIRC).)
• Forums -- If you're a 'serious' gamer of any description (i.e. you play World of Warcraft, or a clan-based shooter) you'll already know about forums. Everyone else will just be aware of forums popping up in search results all the time -- and that's for a reason, you know! A lot of online communication occurs on forums -- perhaps even more so than blogs, forums are a huge source of constantly-updated info that you should be reading!
  
  If you're a World of Warcraft player, you should be reading and digesting Elitist Jerks. MW2 players should take a good look at Modern Warfare 24/7. If you like your forums a little more generic, you could always wade into the GameSpot forum (but it's really big, I warn you). Basically, if there's a game you like, Google it! It'll be worth it, trust me.
• Xfire -- Though it has a rather snazzy tagline, 'gaming simplified', Xfire never fails to deliver. While it started as a bit of an industry ugly duckling with very tentative support from gamers and developers, Xfire has stuck at it. Today, 8 years after its initial release, and due to its continuing and impressive innovation, Xfire now has over 15 million very happy users -- and you should be the next!
  
  What started as a 'game aware' messenger (it showed you what games your friends were currently playing), Xfire has grown into a massive (and competitive) community that facilitates your games playing. Not only is there in-game text and voice chat, but there's also a great server browser. The most recent addition is the ability to live stream your gaming-- now you can show your friends, clanmates or even the thronged masses your pro skillz over the Internet!
  
  PC: Xfire -- Mac: MacFire -- Linux: not supported, but there are some fancy chat plugins you can check out

* * *
Next, we have utilities. These are tools that augment your gaming experience -- and no, I'm not talking about speed hacks or aimbots! (But I have thrown in a few 'nefarious' tools, just, you know... in case.)

• BitTorrent -- A good BitTorrent client is the bread and butter of every gamer. Now, I'm not telling you to go out and download every game -- especially if you have a disposable income -- but sometimes publishers make it so damn hard to enjoy a game that you might as well just Torrent it. Yes, I'm talking about DRM; yes, I think DRM is an affront to the addicted stalwarts that spend their hard-earnt money on video games. You know it's sad when free, cracked and downloadable versions of games are better than the boxed equivalent.
  
  So, keep a BitTorrent client installed, but only use it when you have to. Torrents are also good if you lose the original game disc too, incidentally -- or for downloading large multi-gigabyte patches. Console gamers: you can use Torrents to get your hands on games that won't be released in your country!
  
  PC: uTorrent -- Mac: Transmission -- Linux: rTorrent or Vuze (Azureus)
• Steam -- Of course everyone's favourite digital distribution app gets a mention! In many ways, Steam is based on Xfire, but with an emphasis on content distribution that Xfire is unlikely to imitate. Like Xfire, Steam has a lot of community features and in-game chat. A lot of emphasis is placed on player profiles too -- you can see exactly what other games have been playing, and for how long!
  
  Steam has turned the industry on its head, single-handedly proving that box-less distribution has massive potential. You can often find games at a fraction of their normal cost on Steam -- and if you catch one of their crazy 'fire sales', you might find games for only 50 cents! It's not unusual to see $500 of games on sale for $29.95. That's the power of digital distribution: it costs Valve a few cents for some gigabytes of bandwidth, and that's it. The rest is profit.
  
  PC: Windows Steam client -- Mac: coming soon!! -- Linux: possible under WINE or POL. It's worth noting that Direct 2 Drive has quite a selection of Mac games, if you can't wait for Steam!
• Emulators -- This, like torrenting, is another one of those areas with questionable legality. You shouldn't technically download the ROM image of a Mega Drive game, but there's no one to stop you -- nor is anyone losing money -- so... why not?
  
  Emulators emulate a target system or operating system, be it an original 8-bit NES/Famicom, PlayStation or Game Boy Advance. In other words, they turn your PC or Mac into virtually any console ever made. Emulators can also be used to play old PC games (with DOSBox) that no longer work on Windows-based systems.
  
  I could spend the rest of this feature listing emulators, but it's easier if I just link you to a proper resource like The Emulator Zone. Be sure to hit up your favourite Torrent indexes (IsoHunt or The Pirate Bay) for more ROM images. Mac users take note: there's an entire page of emulators for you on The Emulator Zone!

* * *
Finally we come to the show-stoppers, the cherry on top -- the dessert. These are tools or apps that don't really fit the other categories but are too cool to be excluded. These won't be for every gamer, but I'm pretty sure at least one thing in the following list will catch your eye.

• Screen video capture (Fraps/Snapz) -- How better to show of your gaming prowess than with a RECORDING? The Internet is all about video nowadays. Why put your ugly face up on YouTube when you can use your pretty blonde elf instead? If you're great at a video game, why not show the world and become a star like Athene?!
  
  Of course, there's also machinima, the art of making entire movies from in-game footage. Red vs. Blue (Halo) and Tales of the Past (Warcraft) are both great examples, if you want to see what's possible with Fraps and a lot of dedication.
  
  PC: Fraps -- Mac: Snapz -- Linux: Shutter (both Fraps and Snapz are commercial... but I'm sure you can work around that).
• TeamSpeak 3 -- Most games include voice-communication of some kind now, but for games that don't, or where the implementation is poor, TeamSpeak is the solution! World of Warcraft is the biggest example of a game that needs external voice comms, but many FPS clans use them too.
  
  Ventrilo used to be the best choice, but due to draconian licensing costs a fortune to set up. TeamSpeak 3, however, is free. There's a free Linux server, and clients for both Mac and Windows. TS3 has a truly dizzying number of configuration and privilege settings -- I've been using it for a month and I still haven't worked out most of it...
  
  PC: Windows client -- Mac: OS X client -- Linux: there's even a Linux client! (the Linux server is on the same page)
• XLink -- Before the current generation of consoles and their 'live communities', the only way to link consoles together was with a 'system link'. This usually involved some kind of proprietary cable (do you remember joining two Game Boys together, back at school?) With XLink, you can play 'system link' (i.e. LAN) games over the Internet, as long as you have a computer running Windows, OS X or Linux.
  
  Warning, the logo on their site might induce seizures... (really, it's quite distracting).
  
  PC: Windows client -- Mac: OS X client -- Linux: x86 client
• Cheats, FAQs and walkthroughs -- And finally, when it's all just become too much, we have cheats. Sometimes a game can be too hard, or maybe you're just a 'completionist' that must find everything -- either way, you're going to want Gamespy's GameFAQs. Never has there been such a wealth of games-related info easily accessible! Whether you want cheat codes (do modern games even have cheat codes?) or complete walkthroughs of adventure games, GameFAQs is for you. There's also a lot of reviews from users of the site, so it's also a good site if you're looking to buy a new game.
  
  It's actually scary how detailed some of the guides on GameFAQs are -- and yes, there are guides for both PC and console games. I suppose there would be Mac guides too, if the Mac had any games...
  
  Anyway, if you're one of those gamers that has to get every trophy and achievement, check it out! (And if GameFAQs doesn't have what you're looking for, just use Google... it's almost as good.)

* * *
As always, if I've missed something that a gamer can't possibly live without, leave a note in the comments!

Essential apps and utilities for PC, Mac and console gamers originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments



Windows Live Messenger - BitTorrent - Internet Relay Chat - Video game - Microsoft

Duke3D Headed to webOS —

Palm loyalists out there will undoubtedly remember the name MetaView. Back in the days of PalmOS, he rose to fame with apps like PalmPDF (now named PDFmob), 2PlayMe, and notably Duke3D, a PalmOS Duke Nukem 3D port that won the Zodiac France Contest 2006.

MetaView has been developing for webOS for a while now, with releases like Match This!, MapTool, and ÜberRadio. Now, he's returning to an old favourite and is bringing Duke3D to webOS.

Posted on his blog, Henk "MetaView" Jonas shares the above video of Duke3D working smoothly on his Pre. According to his post, the controls can be used all in the keyboard or alternatively use the screen as a virtual d-pad and have the rest of the controls in the keyboard (similar to Quake).

Interestingly, MetaView has told PreCentral that:

"The porting was really easy. Just some small source and makefile adjustments and both jfbuild and jfduke did compile and link. Not at all comparable with the old Palm OS where I needed several days just to get it compiled and another couple of days to have it running without crashes."

Seems the boasts of quick app porting to the webOS holds some weight. That certainly raises my spirits for the webOS platform as a whole.

Duke3D is now available for the Palm Pre and Pre Plus in the WebOS-Internals testing feed for those brave enough to try it while it's still in-testing.

Carmi Levy’s Conspiracy Theory Regarding Apple’s Removal of Wi-Fi Scanning Apps from the App Store —

He thinks it’s a scam to make it harder for iPhone (and soon, iPad) owners to use Wi-Fi, so that they instead use 3G and run up service charges. This is nutty. The carriers — AT&T especially — really do want iPhone owners to use Wi-Fi. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is practically begging iPad users to use Wi-Fi.

China Mobile Hopes to Sell WiFi iPhone ('Hopes' Being the Operative Word, Here) [Digital Daily] —

Four years after they first began, China Mobile — China’s largest wireless phone operator, is still in talks with Apple (AAPL) about adding the iPhone to its smartphone line-up, but those talks have evidently taken an interesting twist. According China Mobile chairman, Chang Xiaobing, the two companies are discussing plans to debut a Wi-Fi-enabled version of the device in the country, something they couldn’t do previously because of a government regulation prohibiting the sale of any Wi-Fi device that doesn’t support China’s Wired Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure (WAPI) wireless standard. Evidently, Beijing has recently revised that regulation and now permits the sale of WiFi phones in the country as long as they also support WAPI and that has reignited talks between the two companies. “I know that in the market there is hope we will offer an iPhone with Wi-Fi,” Xiaobing told reporters attending the annual session of the National People’s Congress. “We have been holding talks with Apple in this area.”

Whether those talks are going anywhere is another question entirely. As Dan Butterfield observes over at iPhonAsia, an iPhone that supports two different wireless standards would require Apple to really customize the device for the Chinese market, something it’s been loath to do in the past. “ … It runs against Apple’s DNA to build a special model iPhone solely for one market … even if that market is China,” Butterfield writes. “But … never say never! The current model iPhone for China Unicom is already a special production run (no WiFi chip + many “for China” apps preloaded). If China Unicom commits to a sufficiently large iPhone pre-purchase, then Apple may entertain the idea of a WAPI/WiFi iPhone.”

China Mobile Hopes to Sell WiFi iPhone ('Hopes' Being the Operative Word, Here) —

Four years after they first began, China Mobile — China’s largest wireless phone operator, is still in talks with Apple (AAPL) about adding the iPhone to its smartphone line-up, but those talks have evidently taken an interesting twist. According China Mobile chairman, Chang Xiaobing, the two companies are discussing plans to debut a Wi-Fi-enabled version of the device in the country, something they couldn’t do previously because of a government regulation prohibiting the sale of any Wi-Fi device that doesn’t support China’s Wired Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure (WAPI) wireless standard. Evidently, Beijing has recently revised that regulation and now permits the sale of WiFi phones in the country as long as they also support WAPI and that has reignited talks between the two companies. “I know that in the market there is hope we will offer an iPhone with Wi-Fi,” Xiaobing told reporters attending the annual session of the National People’s Congress. “We have been holding talks with Apple in this area.”

Whether those talks are going anywhere is another question entirely. As Dan Butterfield observes over at iPhonAsia, an iPhone that supports two different wireless standards would require Apple to really customize the device for the Chinese market, something it’s been loath to do in the past. “ … It runs against Apple’s DNA to build a special model iPhone solely for one market … even if that market is China,” Butterfield writes. “But … never say never! The current model iPhone for China Unicom is already a special production run (no WiFi chip + many “for China” apps preloaded). If China Unicom commits to a sufficiently large iPhone pre-purchase, then Apple may entertain the idea of a WAPI/WiFi iPhone.”

DocVerse Purchase a Stopgap for Google Apps — By purchasing DocVerse, Google can offer customers better collaboration in Microsoft Office documents, but it doesn't solve the basic weakness of Google Apps.

Google Gmail vs. hosted Microsoft Exchange — More and more businesses are looking to hosted email services to reduce costs and ease management, and the choice often comes down to Google’s Gmail (the key component of Google Apps) or a hosted version of Microsoft Exchange.

Freeware Files: Five Apps for Perfect Podcast Recording, Listening, and Editing! —

Listening to the Maximum PC podcast #131 this past week (I'm behind) brought back some fond memories.  Not only was there a little glint in my eye because I was actually mentioned on said podcast, but I was also tearing up a bit at the realization that the very art of podcasting could serve as an excellent Freeware Files roundup.

Thus, here we are!  Podcasting is a huge topic in itself, so I'm trying to bridge a bunch of different worlds in this week's list of awesome applications.  Just interested in listening to podcasts?  Don't worry--I've got you covered.  Looking to make a Maximum PC (or Freeware Files) fan podcast of your own?  You'll find a fun trick or two within the bits and bytes of this week's post.  Tired of all the same-ol', same-ol' podcasting programs that you read about on all the other tech sites (like iTunes, cough cough?)  Well, I'll do my best to surprise you with a new app or two!

Even if, like me, you think that 99-percent of all podcasts are lame and not really worth your time, you can also use some of the enclosed apps and utilities to exert some editing influence over existing audio files.  As well, you'll even find an awesome player for video and music files that even comes with a built-in Bittorrent download capability.

Have I whet your podcasting whistle yet?  Great.  Let's begin!

 

Robert's Podcatcher

If you're just looking for a way to grab the latest versions of audio recordings on the 'net, why bother with a bulky program like iTunes or its graphically intense cousin, Zune? Robert's Podcatcher is a perfect application for identifying and downloading all the latest updates to a syndicated podcast feed.  It works rather simply: Enter a stream, and the program will go out and download the very latest episode in the feed.  The next time you launch the application, it'll automatically grab all the new files that have been put up since the last time you loaded the program.  The program can run in the background of your system and scan for new updates to your podcast feeds along set intervals.

Download it here!

 

The Levelator

If you've ever recorded an audio file of a conversation--especially one handled over a VoIP medium like Skype--you've probably been frustrated by the volume disparity between all the voices on said recording.  You might sound super-loud, one of your subjects might sound deathly quiet, and a third party might warble between the two extremes depending on how often he or she has had to move away from the microphone to breathe.

Anyway, you can definitely fix this problem by applying limiting effects and other such audio trickery using complicated paid-for apps (or open-source software, like Audacity).  Or... you can grab The Levelator, which fixes the issue for you without requiring so much as a peep of parameter setting from you.  Just drag your crazy-sounding file over the interface and let The Levelator do what it does best--automatically try to make everyone in the file sound as equal in volume as possible.  Editing audio doesn't get much easier than this!

Download it here!

 

Miro

Now we're getting intense.  Miro is an application that's mainly geared for watching videos.  Not only can you view (and download) YouTube HD files, but you can also use the app to subscribe to (and play) video podcasts as well as a wide range of other common video file.  Miro's extended this functionality to audio podcasts as well--again, it's not the program's forte, but it's a welcome addition to an otherwise feature-packed media player.  The icing on the cake lies in Miro's Bittorrent support.  If there's a particular Bittorrent RSS feed that you care for (who's podcasting with Bittorrents anyway?), you can one-click add it to to Miro's scan list.  The program will download new files automatically using its integrated libtorrent engine.

Download it here!

 

Streamripper

It wouldn't make much sense to just outright record a podcast while it's playing--as in, make an audio recording of a live podcast you're listening to.  That pretty much defeats the entire concept of a podcast, doesn't it?  Well, if you've found yourself in this predicament or, conversely, have a favorite Internet radio station that you'd love to have a downloadable archive of, then Streamripper is your ticket.  This console utility will record and automatically separate tracks for any of the five following streams:

• .mp3 Shoutcast streams
• .mp3 Icecast streams
• .nsv (Nullsoft Streaming Video) streams
• .aac Shoutcast/Icecast streams
• .ogg streams

And if you want to get a little fancier, Streamripper can also take care of LasfFM streams and Live365 streams, amongst others.

Download it here!

 

LoadScout

File transfers are cheap, right?  Look, it might not break your bandwidth bank to download huge files--like a .zip archive of your favorite podcasts or, for that matter, the 150MB "Gordon's Greatest Rants Ever No Really" Maximum PC podcast.  If you're on anything but a cable Internet connection, the prospect of downloading huge files on a whim doesn't sound very appealing.  The situation's compounded if you're being asked to download a huge file based on something you may or may not even like to begin with.

That's where LoadScout comes into play.  This helpful application allows you to extract snippets of .zip archives and .mp3 files to your computer so you can judge for yourself whether you want the whole archive or audio file. Don't let the older appearance of LoadScout throw you off--this application is a powerful tool for power downloaders that want only what they like without having to waste precious bandwidth on guesswork.

Download it here!

 

David Murphy (@ Acererak) is a technology journalist and former Maximum PC editor. He writes weekly columns about the wide world of open-source as well as weekly roundups of awesome, freebie software. Befriend him on Twitter, especially if you have an awesome app or game you're dying to recommend!

 

 

Google Gmail vs. hosted Microsoft Exchange — More and more businesses are looking to hosted email services to reduce costs and ease management, and the choice often comes down to Google’s Gmail (the key component of Google Apps) or a hosted version of Microsoft Exchange.

DocVerse Purchase a Stopgap for Google Apps — With its purchase of DocVerse, Google has stepped up competition with Microsoft Office. Yet, the acquisition also acknowledges weaknesses in Google Apps and how far Google is from being a serious Office challenger.

BTW, Wi-Fi Scanner Apps Were Begging to Get Banned by Apple [App Store] —

Also shitcanned by Apple in the Great App Store Purge of 2010: Wi-Fi scanning apps. The reason being that they used private frameworks to access wireless info. While some of these apps might've been useful, especially the ones with GPS functionality to locate hotspots, using private frameworks is kinda like painting a big "ban me" target on your back, even if you do slip through the approval process. [Softpedia via MaximumPC via DVICE]

Managing the multiplatform mess —

Use Dropbox to Sync Custom Dictionaries [Dropbox] —

From the files of the What Can't Dropbox Handle Dept.: the web-based file syncing service makes it easy to keep custom dictionaries in Word, or most any other app, available and synchronized between computers, as commenter caryo points out.

Image via eHow.

From the "Spelling and Grammar" tab in Microsoft Word's options, you can choose where your custom dictionary—with all your custom words for the spell checker not to catch—should reside, and export it somewhere else. Move it into your Dropbox folder, and set up other computers to pull their custom dictionaries from there, too. When you add a word into one system, it gets updated on others. Browsers and other apps also keep custom spelling dictionaries (here's where Firefox keeps its own), so Dropbox, and other instant file-syncing services, can be very handy indeed.

Got a similar clever use to tip us to? Drop it in the comments and add #tags somewhere in your text.

Verizon Store Experiences, Developer Meetups and More... From the Forums —

Here's some of the latest discussion in the forums:

• There's no question that Verizon's execution of Palm's launch has been less than spectacular.  New webOS users are sharing the experience of buying their new Pre Plus or Pixi Plus from Verizon.  The gist of the thread?  Palm had better hope that project JumpStart works.
• Some people still have "homebrewaphobia", a fear that installing programs like Preware and the hundreds of apps and patches made available by doing so will harm their phone.  Worry no longer friends, as the words of the wise PreCentral forum members help to dispatch those fears once and for all.
• The GSM Pre forum is buzzing with speculation about when paid apps are going to hit non-US territories this month.  My bet? Next weeks Game Developers Conference (which will be covered by TiPb's Renee Ritchie!).
• Attention webOS developers in Silicon Valley: member krid is putting together a developer meetup on March 16th complete with a speech from the Palm Developer Relations Crew. Are you in?

We look forward to seeing you in the forums.  Not a member?  There's no time like the present.