Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies launch screen

Activision is bringing Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies to iPhone, iPod, and iPad tomorrow. And by all indications, it’s going to be a blast.

Kotaku brings the full intel, but here’s an abbreviated version. Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies is a brand new, highly polished app based on the Zombies mode from Call of Duty: Black Ops. It was adapted by Ideaworks Game Studio, who built it specifically for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. There are three difficulty settings, a slider for graphics performance (newer devices will support the full effect), and what sounds like a very slick presentation that uses comic book style menus. You can play solo or multiplayer with up to four players, and in an especially cool touch, it even supports voice chat. There’s also a full port of the popular Dead Ops Arcade top-down shooter from the console version of Black Ops, while the primary game utilizes the original game’s “Kino der Toten” map.

The game is expected to retail for $6.99 in the iTunes App Store, and Activision is promising to update it in the future with DLC and additional gaming maps — all for free.

Buy-N-Large

Buy-N-Large mosaic

The logo of the corporatized world from WALL-E, cleverly made out of brand logos. [Source]

Darth Vader

Darth Vader mosaic

Comprised of images from all six Star Wars movies. [Source]

Harry Potter

Harry Potter mosaic

Made using images from the first seven Harry Potter movies, to celebrate the eighth. [Source]

Indiana Jones

Indiana Jones mosaic

Uses only images from Raiders of the Lost Ark. [Source]

iPhone

iPhone mosaic

10,000 app icons make up this image of a first-generation iPhone. [Source]

Mario

Mario mosaic

Created using 7,000 screenshots from Super Mario 1, 2, & 3. [Source]

Space Shuttle

Space Shuttle mosaic

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first space shuttle launch, NASA commissioned this mosaic, which uses pictures of the people, projects, and technologies that contributed to the shuttle program over its first 25 years.[Source]

Star Trek

Star Trek mosaic

The new Star Trek movie’s logo made using images from the classic TV series. [Source]

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs mosaic

The late Apple CEO is recreated here using Apple logos, products, and portraits of the man himself. [Source]

Summer Glau

Summer Glau mosaic

This mosaic of the geek goddess (Firefly, Sarah Connor Chronicles, Dollhouse) uses over 400 existing photos of Glau. [Source]

There’s a new game out for iOS and it’s called Brawl. The game made it to my radar for two reasons — first because it was a free release and secondly, it was a card-based boxing game. I’m a huge fan of deck building games like Ascension, Dominion and 7 Wonders so albeit this one makes use of much simpler rules (yep it’s really simple), I find the genre of fast-paced card action rather interesting.

The game itself isn’t very deep. Two boxers fight their way to victory and punches are thrown through cards. The winner is determined by whoever landed the most punches. A game consists of two player cards (boxers) and each player draws from a shuffled deck of punches and blocks. You can throw punches to the head and torso, represented by locations on the top and bottom part of the player cards. You can stack blows until a player draws and places a block card which means you won’t be able to land any more punches in that area.

Punches and blocks come in different colors. You can only stack punches of the same color and block with the corresponding color of punches.

Depth is achieved when you can add a third stack (red cards) which lets you throw additional punches and blocks. The game ends when you can no longer land any more punches and the total number of points (i.e. punches landed) determine the winner.

Variety takes place with the choice of boxers. There are three boxers initially available with three more unlocked via in-app purchases (surprise!). The boxers are characterized by the number of certain cards in the decks. For instance, Hale comes with more hit cards in all colors but very few blocks. Chris on the other hand comes with a balance of hits and blocks.

The game may take a while to master but after the tutorial and first few play through, a game can last no more than 1 minute. You can challenge the AI or play online.

Brawl is free on iOS and can be downloaded for both the iPad and iPhone. [DOWNLOAD NOW]

Add them up on Facebook too.

Assassin's Creed Revelations screenshot

First of all, of course, there’s the flagship console series which has gone annual now with major new releases. Revelations, the fourth entry in the series, puts you in the shoes of Ezio Auditore one last time, concluding his story that began in Assassin’s Creed II with a “full circle” plot that takes him back to the stomping grounds of his ancestor, Altaïr.

Assassin's Creed Multiplayer Rearmed

A pair of iOS games are planned for the coming weeks: Assassin’s Creed: Multiplayer Rearmed, and the just-announced Assassin’s Creed Recollections. Rearmed is a top-down multiplayer fighting game fueled by in-app purchases (the game itself is a free download). It’s currently available for iPhone, but an iPad version is coming shortly. Not yet released is Recollections, which is described as a real-time board game for iPad that, based on the screenshots, appears to involve collecting cards that represent various characters. It’s a multiplayer game as well, and is expected to drop around the same time as Revelations.

Assassin's Creed Recollection

There’s Assassin’s Creed Embers, an animated short film that tells the last chapter of Ezio Auditore’s life (presumably from either before or after the events in Revelations). There are various ways you’ll be able to get to see this short, chief among them by pre-ordering the Signature Edition of Revelations from Gamestop — a purchase that will also get you an additional singleplayer mission, additional multiplayer content, weapon capacity upgrades, the game’s soundtrack by Jesper Kyd, and more.

There’s Path to Revelations, a scavenger hunting Facebook game that’s primarily intended to get you excited about the new game. Another Facebook feature lets you create a custom video that details your own fictional Assassin heritage.

Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia

There’s the Assassin’s Creed Encyclopedia, cataloging the vast AC universe, which will also be released sometime in November. The full-color, 256-page book sells for $35, and should help clarify many of the dangling questions you have about past games (without giving anything away about the future, of course) and all other corners of the universe.

I’m sure there’s more than this. There are comic books and novels, game guides, and some wicked cool swag, for example. But you get the idea. There’s never been a better time to be an Assassin’s Creed fan, and I’m excited to be one!

Many weeks ago we reviewed Bang! The Bullet. This app never made it to the top list of Apple apps for download but among a huge niche of board game geeks, Bang! is definite favorite.

Recently, Palzoun & SpinVector released a much needed update that not only incudes the Dodge City Expansion set, it also put in the much needed online multiplayer that players from around the world were clamoring for. Previously, Bang! only had pass on play for some semblance of multiplayer but this turned out to be rather tedious and impractical.

To sweeten the deal even further, the app now sells for only USD $3.99, a full dollar cheaper than when it went on sale earlier this year.

For those unfamiliar, Bang! is a spaghetti western game where each of you take the role of either a Renegade, Outlaw, Deputy or the Sheriff. Depending on your role you each have specific missions to accomplish: outlaws must kill the Sheriff, Deputies must protect the Sheriff, while the Renegade wins by being the last man standing. All identities, save the Sheriff are hidden from one another and you try to discover everyone’s roles by the different card actions you can do. Dodge City introduces green cards to the play deck. Green cards must be placed down as equipment cards but only have a one time use in the succeeding turn. That means that if you have green cards that allow you to shoot people, you can use these apart from your regular Bang! cards.

Online multiplayer is included in this update but it isn’t done through the Game Center — rather you need to create a Bang! account from an external website and sign in. Other than that small annoyance, the core multiplayer is fun.

Bang! also includes achievements to unlock during play. They’re really nothing new, but add to the “oh so I did that and got an achievement” discovery of the game. Sadly, no new characters are in the expansion — you will need to unlock them separately.

All in all, Bang! HD sweetens the deal by adding a complete expansion pack, achievements and online multiplayer and subtracts one dollar from the app. Those are more than enough reasons to get one of the best board games ever made.

Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer is by far one of my favorite card games. It’s right up there with 7 Wonders and Bang! Board Game Geek has awarded Ascension: CotG 3.5 stars out of 5 and the good news is that they full game is now available on iOS for a mere USD $4.99. The physical game costs USD $27.99.

Ascension: CotG is a deck building game for 2-4 players. The game was designed by a handful of Magic: The Gathering Pros and they wanted to build a fast-paced card game that didn’t rely on who had the better deck beforehand. Instead, players start off in equal footing and build the deck as they play. Winning entails computing the sum of Rune points acquired from creature kills and points from the types of cards you built your deck with during the game It’s good news to those that don’t want to spend a ton of money on booster packs and special cards as the core game is pretty much a standalone set good for 2-4 players already.

On to the iOS version. I can pretty much sum up the experience of CotG as quite similar to playing the actual card game. The UI is very well thought through with each card having a zoom in function anytime during a game session is ongoing. As the screen of your iOS device is limited, the board allows you to touch areas of the screen to pull out your summoned Constructs, view the Void and discard deck (you can hold and drag to see everything scroll by!) as well as see summaries of other player decks such as the number of constructs in play, number of Runes acquired and so on.

The game features both offline and online play. You can hold several offline games simultaneously as well as queue up in gaming lobbies for multiple games to see which one you can get into first. Because CotG is fast-paced by nature, wait times are never annoying.

Bottomline
Ascension: CotG is a definite MUST HAVE for the iOS. If you’ve never heard of the game till this review, you STILL should pick it up and I guarantee you that this will be one of the most played games on your iPad or iPhone.

[Download Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer]

Meet George. George is made of LEGO bricks, and lives an interesting life (which you can follow on Facebook) for a little toy guy. He’s also the central character of an intriguing new game from LEGO called Life of George, which marries physical brick building with a digital game on Apple iOS devices.

When you buy LEGO Life of George (it will retail for $29.99), you get a special gridded play mat and a kit of 144 LEGO bricks. Pair this package with a free iOS app, and you’ve got one of the most unique uses of augmented reality yet. Here’s how it works.

LEGO Life of George

The iOS app shows you a LEGO creation that can be built with the bricks included in your kit. Then it starts a countdown timer, and you have until it reaches zero to build what you see on the screen. Once you’re finished, place your creation on the play mat and use your iPhone or iPad’s built-in camera to take a picture. The app works with the grid on the mat thanks to a patent-pending “brick recognition software” to see if you succeeded. You get points based on how accurate your creation is and how quickly you assembled it. Two players can pass the iDevice back and forth to take turns, and the player with the best score wins.

There are 12 levels to play through comprised of 10 LEGO models each, with two game modes (novice and expert) to challenge players. The game is built around George’s adventures, and the LEGO creations players are challenged to build are based on items seen in George’s photo album.

The game also comes with a creation mode where you can design and build your own LEGO models, and then capture it to add it to the app’s virtual scrapbook.

LEGO Life of George will be available to buy exclusively in LEGO Retail Stores and at shop.lego.com beginning Saturday, October 1st.

LEGO Life of George

LEGO Life of George

LEGO Life of George

Man, the rumors about iPhone 5 are all over the place. And let’s face it: this is Apple, and that’s the way it’s always going to be. But one aspect of the new device that hasn’t been addressed is its price. Will Apple go up in price due to new technology? Will they keep it the same, as they always have? Or might they even lower it, to be ultra competitive? Opinions, anyone?

Rumors, rumors, rumors. They’re stock in trade for Apple-focused journalists. There are rumors that suggest the iPhone 5 will have an edge-to-edge screen. There’s a pretty solid-sounding rumor that Sprint is getting its own iPhone 5, to compete with AT&T and Verizon. It may have an aluminum unibody. It will very likely be thinner than the more brick-like iPhone 4. Then there’s the rumors of advanced voice-operated controls. It goes without saying that the 5th-generation device will be faster than the 4th. Will it have a higher-res camera? Will it wash your windows and vacuum the floors???

But I can’t find a single substantial rumor regarding the iPhone 5 price. Apple traditionally upgrades its i-products once a year, while keeping the price of the new device the same as the old. The smartphone marketplace is getting more crowded by the day. Apple launched the iPad with competitive pricing, and hit a home run. Might they apply the same philosophy to the next generation of the world’s greatest phone?

And then there’s the iPhone 4S rumor. You know, the one that says Apple is also going to release a mid-range quality, modestly priced iPhone at the same time as the state-of-the-art iPhone 5. This does seem like something Apple would so, so I’m inclined to believe this one. An iPhone based on the iPhone 4 but priced in the $100 range would be a win-win for Apple. New iPhones, over the last few years, have been priced $199 for a lower memory version and $299 for maxed-out memory size. If Apple’s launching a lower-quality iPhone that’s $100 or less, there really wouldn’t be any reason to decrease the price of the flagship model.

Still, we can dream of a day when $50 iPhones become a reality, can’t we? They say that the more commonplace a technology becomes, the lower its prices dive. Look at flatscreen TVs; years ago they cost multiple thousands of dollars, but these days you can get a decent one for $500 or less.

Phone companies offer many plans for mobile phones and it’s no different for the iPhone 5. There are many iPhone 5 plans that will be coming out when the product is finally released. A good way to spend the time would be to find out what kind of iPhone 5 plans to look for.

First, you need to find out how much you use your phone. Carefully assess how much you actually use your phone so you can determine the amount of usage time you should sign up to when choosing the plan. Make sure the plan you choose will cover the total amount of time you will use your phone, with maybe a little extra time as a buffer so you won’t have to pay a lot if, for instance, you exceed your monthly usage allocation. The usage time is the main basis for the amount you will pay for your iPhone 5 plan. If you’ve over- or under-estimated your usage time some phone carriers accept changes to your plan but oftentimes this will mean extending your contract with the phone carrier.

You should also think about any additional services you want to add to your iPhone 5 plan. Do you need international roaming or a family plan? Do you think that the extra services being offered to you are something that you will use with fair regularity? These extra services cost money so you need to find out what kind of add-on services you will really need.

Before you sign the contract you should confirm how long you are going to be locked in to your iPhone 5 plan before it expires or before you can renew it. Even though phone companies can’t force you to stay with your contract, it is still better to know this information so you’ll know when the contract is going to end. You should also ask if the contract is automatically renewed when it expires so you’ll know when to go to cut the contract in case you decide to transfer carriers.

Fans of the Evil Dead franchise may have heard of a remake of the 1981 cult classic. It’s the one franchise that made Bruce Campbell famous playing the chainsaw armed Ash and Sam Raimi as director (unfortunately he went on to direct other things like the flop that was Spider Man). So it has come to this: one of the defining pillars of geekdom is being remade after 30 years. Think about it, geeks: Army of Darkness is really just as old as the NASA Space Shuttle Program.

So, while we wait for the remake of Ash’s time warp into the medieval era, it might not be a coincidence that the Evil Dead franchise has subcontracted game developers to build two iOS games for both the iPad and iPhone. As to whether the game was initiated by .. err .. MGM or the devs, I have no idea.

Army of Darkness Defense

I’ve already reviewed this in a previous post. It’s one of those games that you WON”T end up deleting after letting it tease you for 5 minutes. This is one of my iPad staples.

When I first reviewed the app, I had just acquired archer support. Now, I’m well into my 40′s and have unlocked the hero, Arthur. Army of Darkness Defense is pretty straightforward — you run back and forth killing Deadites and you can get a level done in less than 5 minutes. That’s pretty much how we roll.

Download here (STILL FREE)

Now if you’re looking for a little bit more RPG, you might want to consider Evil Dead, the mother franchise of Army of Darkness.

The Evil Dead HD

Updated recently, Evil Dead is a top down action shooter that’s got more story in it that AoD. You basically re-enact the movie starring Bruce Campbell from a not-so-quite bird’s eye view. The premise is pretty simple: in each level, you have to guide Ash through pathways to reach a certain objective while picking up weapons and mowing down enemies.

It’s a dungeon crawler, ladies and gents, with controls that are a bit off and well … the game really doesn’t feel as polished as AoD. Remember playing an old retro favorite called Alone in the Dark? Well that’s how the 3D polygons look like. It’s a tad disappointing as aiming my boom stick is pretty screwed up and I can plow through my ammo without actually hitting anything.

Download here (STILL FREE)

All in all, if you’re a huge fan of the Evil Dead series, both these games are worth getting — simply because they’re FREE for a limited time only. AoD trumps Evil Dead but Deadites are Deadites and if mowing them down with your chainsaw is something you fancy, then by all means grab both!

Then again, iPhone cases can be found and bought practically anywhere, and it is not surprising at all to see someone else using the same design. That’s why the newest iPhone cases at Society6 caught my eye. These cases are not only sturdy but they are not your run-of-the-mill designs.

Hell Tale Pink iPhone Case

The main thing going for this case is the presence of those ghosts that look as if they came straight from Pac-Man. My main issue is that it’s so pink! Then again, tough men “wear” pink, so why not?

Rubber Duckies iPhone Case

Rubber duckies have always fascinated me – I guess it’s Ernie’s fault. Then there’s Sheldon who uses rubber duckies as slip guards in the bathroom. Who can’t help but like rubber duckies?

Where the Hip Things Are iPhone Case

Where the Wild Things Are is a classic that every child should read/hear (and also watch, with it having been made into a movie). With this iPhone case, the chances that you’ll bump into someone with the same design are slim.

Angry Birdsky iPhone Case

Angry Birds meets Banksy. Enough said.

Air Safari iPhone Case

This design reminds me of Jules Verne and the movie Up. How can I resist including it in this post?

Donut Gas Mask

It’s not Steampunk and a donut gas mask is useless, but it does catch one’s eye.

All of these cases are priced at $35 and are made of “a one-piece, impact resistant, flexible plastic hard case featuring an extremely slim profile”.

Angry Birds

There are plenty of Angry Birds eggs being made this year; this one gets my vote for the best due to its perfect detailing. [Source]

Auto (WALL-E)

Very well-made version of the villain Auto (aka Auto-Pilot) from WALL-E. [Source]

Bender (Futurama)

The egg-maker really nailed Bender’s look, but I can’t help wondering why Futurama‘s robot is so angry. [Source]

Binary Code

Binary code is always big among geeks, but you’ll have to decide for yourself if it’s clever or just plain nerdy. [Source]

Bumblebee (Transformers)

It can’t be easy translating the proportions of a Transformer like Bumblebee into an egg, but this one manages to pull it off. [Source]

Chewbacca (Star Wars)

As you’d imagine, there are a ton of homemade Star Wars eggs, but this one grabbed my attention with that realistic fur. Wow. [Source]

Dalek (Doctor Who)

No matter how you slice it, that is just darn impressive. How in the world did they get the eye stalk and arm things to stay on? [Source]

Death Star (Star Wars)

Never have I seen an Easter Egg perfectly convey so much with so little. [Source]

EVE (WALL-E)

Turning an egg into EVE is a total no-brainer; the character is shaped like an egg, after all. This one perfectly captures the lighter side of her personality. [Source]

The Federation (Star Trek)

The United Federation of Planets design is raised and even has a metallic sheen to it. I have no idea how they did it, but it’s awesome. [Source]

iPhone

The Apple “iEgg” is shown here front and back. And yes, if it were real I’d totally use it. [Source]

Iron Man

Absolutely perfect lighting shows off the steel/glowy goodness of this impressive Iron Man mask. [Source]

Joker

Awful photo. (So blurry!) But staggeringly good work on the egg. It captures Joker’s unpredictable malice so well, it scares the crap out of me. [Source]

Naruto

Another one that manages to translate the proportions of a human figure into an egg remarkably well. [Source]

The One Ring

If Easter was celebrated in Middle Earth… well, they wouldn’t use the inscription from Sauron’s evil ring, would they. But I still love the idea. [Source]

Pac-Man

So many Pac-Man eggs, so little time. I picked this one for its instantly-recognizable depiction of Pac-Man. The ghost doesn’t come across quite as well. [Source]

Rorschach

Watchmen‘s signature crime-fighter. [Source]

Jack Skellington (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

The anti-hero from Tim Burton’s stop-motion classic is depicted in one of his most memorable moments. [Source]

Spider-Man

Great version of Marvel’s wall-crawler. [Source]

Superman

Looks like clay was added to give this one a raised “S” emblem. Very cool. [Source]

Terminator

It’ll be back. Next Easter. [Source]

Xbox 360

Another one that left me wondering how they pulled it off. I’m sure the silver is some kind of enamel paint, but the green part all but glows. Very impressive. [Source]

Zombie

The visible brains part is brilliantly executed. Love the creativity! [Source]

As a child many of you probably enjoyed a great deal of time with Hasbro’s View-Master, I know I did.  The device, since retails sales of the device began in 1939, has been a toy providing hours of fun for those desiring to view 3-D images on paper disks inserted into the View-Master.  Starting April 3, the iconic View-Master will add a high-tech sibling to its family with the introduction of the My3D Handheld Viewer.

Hasbro will begin selling the My3D Handheld Viewer for $35 at Target, with other retail establishments gaining access to the device in June.

The viewer is an iPhone and iPod Touch accessory allowing users to view 3D content on their phone’s 2D display.  For your money one receives the viewer, a mount for your iOS device, and once added to your iPhone or iPod Touch, allows for a binocular-like viewing for 3D content.

Accompanying the hardware launch, Hasbro will release 3D apps in order to make one’s purchase of the My3D Handheld Viewer worth every penny.

The binoculars allow an iPhone or iPod Touch to slide into it when holding them.  Unfortunately users can only view 3D content, meaning you cannot interact with your iOS device’s screen.  To do anything requiring touching of the screen the My3D Handheld Viewer has to be removed.

While a novel concept for sure, the fact that one can only view content at this point makes it seem like an odd-looking iOS accessory made most for children.  That said, the apps, not the device itself, will ultimately determine the usefullness and popularity of the My3D Handheld Viewer.

Will you purchase one of the devices for your iPhone or iPod Touch?  If so, do you think you’ll have as much fun as the gentleman below appears to be having when using the My3D Handheld Viewer?

To prove it, he filmed this video in Times Square, where you can watch as he starts with a small bus stop screen and eventually works his way up to one of the giant-sized screens Times Square is known for, seemingly hacking into this well-known video display.

Some are claiming the whole thing is nothing but an elaborate hoax. They point to the big red balloon seen in the video, in particular, as evidence that it’s all a big fake, because a little investigation of the store in Times Square where the balloon supposedly comes from, revealed that that store doesn’t sell balloons. The hoax theorists believe the video was genuinely shot in Times Square, but that the signal that overrides the screens was added in postproduction.

What do you think? Is seeing believing? Real or not, it’s awfully clever.

Only hardcore Apple fanboys and fangirls need apply.

For $25 plus shipping, you can show the world just how serious you are about your love for the world’s most magical phone — the iPhone. That hefty price is probably related to the unusual size of the cards, which are about an inch taller than the standard. There’s also the smoothly rounded-off corners, made to match the design of the iPhone 3G and its tapered back.

My favorite part is the cheeky variations on some of the cards, where iOS interface elements are superimposed over the card faces. The Queen of Diamonds, for example, has an iPhone keyboard covering the lower half of the “screen,” complete with the “Q” already selected. The King of Spades appears to be calling you, while the King of Hearts “would like to use your current location.”

Cute.

Sometimes geeks, dweebs, nerds, whatever you want to call those into technology, are pegged as less than athletic.  Typing on a computer, playing Wii or Kinect, or reenacting lightsaber duels from Star Wars, while requiring movement, aren’t exactly  athletic endeavors.

One man, Joseph Tame , aims to forever change the way athletic geeks are viewed when he runs the 2011 Tokyo Marathon while wearing “iRun.”

The gear pictured above allows Tame to publish constant updates on his race progress to the internet.  Sounds awesome?

According to Tame, iRun features:

“Four iPhones on rotatable mounts, an iPad, an Android handset, three mobile wifi routers, a wind turbine (ok, so it’s a kid’s fan that turns around…), a 4-in-one atmospheric monitor, a heart monitor, a plastic doughnut and of course the very important satellite dish for high-speed data connectivity (cunningly crafted from a bird-feeding dish).”

Cunning indeed, and his cockiness continues:

“The iRun – something I have no doubt Apple will be interested in buying the blueprints for – is a hugely complex device constructed from two IKAN Recoils. The modification process, carried out in my dad’s greenhouse when visiting the UK at Christmas, saw these joined together with composite rods to form a rig that can be worn without danger of it flying off when travelling at high speeds (or low speeds, as is more likely to be the case).”

No doubt Apple will want their hands on the device crafted in a parent’s greenhouse.

So what will the iRun do exactly?  When running, the device will broadcast live video on two cameras, send live location/pace/heart rate data, transmit temperature, all while allowing Tame to look “incredibly cool.” Right.

Check out the video below to see just how super? Tame’s contraption appears when worn and let us know if you’d like one for yourself, and if you plan on tuning in to Tame’s updates as he traverses the streets of Tokyo.

Neatorama

Minecraft‘s publisher, a Swedish company called Mojang, says that they’re working on a version of the game for Apple’s iOS platform, which will officially bring Minecraft to iPhone and iPad.

Unofficial iOS versions have been created by clever fans, but none of them offer an experience as complete as the PC/browser version. Mojang told Gamasutra that one member of their team, Aron Neiminen, is currently working exclusively on porting the game to iOS, with an iTunes release targeted for later this year. This couldn’t have been a hard decision for the fledgling compay; a touchscreen operating system seems like a natural fit for the indie game sensation.

Mojang says that the iOS version of Minecraft won’t get every single update that the original version gets, but it will get those features that make the most sense for iPhones and iPads. Being able to Mine on the go will no doubt add legions of new fans for the game — especially if Mojang prices it competitively.

Oh, iPhone. I honestly love you. I want you. I want you so bad.

We could make sweet music together, but that data plan of yours always comes between us. I know you love your monthly data plan more than you love me. I can’t afford it. And that’s why we can’t be together.

If we were together, I would wrap you in this custom LEGO case, a handcrafted-to-order item available from Etsy seller RecordWallets. For just $19.50 + $3 U.S. shipping, I could own this clear, hard plastic case to protect my beloved iPhone from the daily wear-and-tear of life, while simultaneously proclaiming my other great love: LEGO.

LEGO and iPhone, you were meant to be together to sooth the beating of every geek’s heart. But for now… our feelings must remain unrequited.

Do regular iPhone, Android, iPod Touch, or any other smallish, portable device stands result in you uttering, “meh?”

Do you long for a stand that could, in a pinch, be utilized as a weapon, and which will not only get people talking about your device stand, but might also scare the living hell out of them?

If any of the above apply to you, we’ve got the perfect accessory.

The Steampunk Accessory Stand for iPod, iPhone, Android, or whatever… is one monster of a stand.  According to the creator,

“This wicked little stand will support your iphone, your android, or even your old 1972 rotary phone!”

“This little monster stands 7.5″ tall and is 7″ at it’s widest span. The center spar has a lower notch than the rest- which will accommodate a charging cord when the phone is in an upright position.”

Head to the Etsy Shop for Voodoo Vintage Fabrication, out of Austin, Texas, and one will find not only the super portable device stand above, but also:

“Original and creative design and fabrication…ranging from a simple address sign to a custom motorcycle and everything in between!”

The impressive and certainly unique stand is not only large in size, but also in price.  Setting one back $59 USD, your iPhone, Android or iPod will no doubt be the center of attention when placed in the heavy Steampunk Accessory Stand and your wallet will become lighter for having purchased one.

What do you think of the stand?  Is it odd or awesome?  Will you purchase one?

Do you love your iOS device(s)?  Have you longed for the ability to control a robot tank with your device?  If you answered yes to the aforementioned questions, then your dreams will soon become true.

For iOS device owners Desk Pets has created the TankBot, small, robotic, tank which can be controlled using any iOS device can be yours for only $20.

To control the miniature tank robot, simply connect the accompanying dongle into one’s iOS device headphone jack and that’s it!  TankBot will be instantly under the control of you and your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.

The features of Tankbot include:

• Use of Apple’s accelerometer technology allowing one to control the device with a tilt of one’s iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
• TankBot’s autonomous mode uses infrared sensors to navigate mazes, avoid obstacles, and react with military precision
• A free roaming mode with tank sounds
• A retractable USB charger built into body of the product, 30 minutes of charge = 15 minutes of play
• A flashing heartbeat eyes pulse when robot is at idle
• Each color (orange, blue, black, and green) operates on own frequency, allowing for multiplayer racing and battling

Desk Pets’ TankBot will make its first appearance in public at New York City’s Toy Fair which runs February 13-16.  Unfortunately for those wanting one of the devices, TankBots will not be available for purchase until June.

When the TankBot is made available, is the device something you will purchase for yourself or as gift for another?

The top free app in the iTunes App Store does not belong to “Fruit Ninja Lite,” “Cut the Rope,” or even an offering from “Angry Birds.”  No, the top spot is held by a game released December 29, 2010, Bubble Ball.

What’s the big deal with Bubble Ball’s ascendancy to number one?  It’s not so much that the game is extremely enjoyable, it is.  No, the important thing to note about Bubble Ball is that it was created by an eighth grade student,14-year-old Robert Nay, from Spanish Fork, Utah, and his mother Kari.

How popular is the app?  Bubble Ball has  been downloaded 1.5 million times on iOS devices, and also has an Android version.

Nay created the app using the Corona SDK from Ansca Mobile, which allows for creation of visually-appealing apps for Android and iOS devices.  The free version of Corona offers users the ability to create apps with advanced features such as effects involving physics, with the $349 version of the SDK letting one publish the app to the Apple App Store.

The 14-year-old Nay learned Lua, Corona’s programming language, allowing him to create a game in a more simple manner than what he could have accomplished using Objective-C, the language used by many iPhone games.

Bubble Ball’s programming and graphic design was completed by Nay, which Nay’s mother assisting him with designing game levels.

Game play involves trying to get a ball to roll from one part of the screen to another by manipulating objects such as a stick or a triangle.  Quite simplistic and very fun.

Have you played, or know others who play, Bubble Ball?  What, if anything, surprises you about Bubble Ball claiming the top spot in the iTunes App Store?

Angry Birds is a tremendously fun game.  Those with an iPhone, iPad, Android device, or Mac, are no doubt aware of its addictive nature.  Thanks to Mattel, the wildly popular game seeks to make the jump from electronic devices to a board game, allowing one to play the game with physical birds, pigs and other pieces that make up Angry Birds scenery.

The iOS versions of Angry Birds have either topped or been near the top of the App Store’s “Paid Apps” charts for what seems like eons now.  Currently, the iPhone version holds the top spot, the iPad version is in second place, and in the newly launched Mac App Store, Angry Birds comes in at number one.

The numbers don’t lie.  The game is extremely enjoyable and extremely addictive.

Now comes word that Rovio, creators of Angry Birds, has partnered with Mattel to create a $15 game, arriving in May 2011, which lets fans play Angry Birds in real life.

To play the game, one selects a card and constructs the structure pictured on the card.  Opponents use the catapult from the game to shoot plastic birds at your structure with points awarded for knocking your structure down.

The game, as the video below indicates, looks as fun as the electronic version.  Moreover, it is a more social way of playing Angry Birds.  Now friends and family can all take part in the joy that is Angry Birds in a pleasing bird-firing, block-busting, manner.

Are you an Angry Birds player and fan?  What device(s) do you play the game on and will you purchase the Mattel game when it launches?

Two enterprising young gentleman operating under the moniker, Satarii, have taken iPhone accessory innovation to a “moving” new level.

For over a year the duo have developed a new product, the Satarii Star, an iPhone dock which follows one’s every move.  By wearing a tracking device, the Satarii’s rotary base follows the individual’s movements in a given location.

More specifically, the device is an action-tracking dock station for their iPhone and its camera.   Using an iPhone and the dock’s tripod mounting system, the remote sensor, which can be attached to any moving object, tracks movements up to 8 meters (26 feet).  The dock rotates up to 180 degrees to capture any and all of the sensor wearer’s movements when in use.

Currently the Satarii Star project is attempting to raise funds on the site IndieGoGo, trying to woo as many individuals as possible willing to pony up some disposable income to get the Satarii Star project from prototype to mass production.

With 39 days left in their funding campaign, Satarii has raised $12,040 of their $20,000 goal.  As if getting the Satarii Star into the hands of consumers wasn’t enough, those who contribute certain amounts to the project can receive some pretty neat things, including the opportunity to get their hands on the Satarii Star itself.

Video of the Satarii Star in action is below.  What do you think of the Satarii Star?  Would you contribute to its creation and/or purchase one if it became available?  What practical uses do you see for the device?

Needless to say, I have an Angry Birds addiction. After passing all the levels I still have to get three stars on all of the levels in which I only got one or two stars. It’s a simple game that requires some tactic to complete with maximum score. Those birds are more familiar to me then the ones I see outside my window. In the sense that I know how heavy they are, their aerodynamics details, etc.

I’m not the only one, the game has become so popular that amazing fan arts are starting to surface. Like this illustration based on an Ornithological documentation.

This wonderful illustration was made by Zero Lives to celebrate that he(or she) finished all levels in the Halloween edition. That’s dedication!

I have said it before, I like art based on modern day culture and the “Genus Aves Iratus” fits right there.

An extra link goody for you; If you are into the Angry Birds game, check out Angry-Birds.net. There you can find tip and trick, a forum and a game map of each game with a walkthrough.

Looking for the perfect gift this Christmas? Look no further – whoever receives this iPhone from you will be eternally in your debt. Stuart Hughes, renowned British jeweler, has just come up with an iPhone that will definitely stand out from the rest of the iPhones that you see yuppies, geeks, and your mom carrying around. One look at that baby, and you’ll know that something is definitely NOT normal about it!

For starters, this iPhone costs a nice GBP 5 million – that’s roughly USD 8 million. You can stop drooling and dreaming now. The price tag makes this iPhone the most expensive mobile phone in the world, obviously. What makes it so expensive? If beauty is in the details, so is the price:

The bezel is handmade from rose with approximately 500 individual flawless diamonds which total over 100ct. The rear section is formed using rose gold with the added touch of its rose gold Apple logo and 53 diamonds. The main navigation is made from platinum which holds a single cut 7.4ct pink diamond. Also included (not shown in picture) is a rare 8ct single cut flawless diamond which can replace the pink one. The chest which houses this unique handset is made from a single block of granite, in Imperial Pink with the inner lined with Nubuck top grain leather…

I think I got lost at the “500 flawless diamonds” part!

Tell me if that isn’t beautiful! Then again, something this beautiful doesn’t really mean much for someone who can’t even imagine holding 8 million bucks in her hands! ;)

If you think it’s a tad too pricey, you can check out other luxury mobile phones – they’re a little cheaper compared to the iPhone 4 Diamond Rose. Oh, and for what it’s worth, there are only two units in existence – you might still have a chance to get your hands on one if you have that much money lying around.