SwagBucks

This isn't related to the iPhone, but I stumbled upon this cool website recently and thought I would share.

Register at Swagbucks.com, and every time you search you could win swagbucks, which are redeemable for giftcards to itunes, amazon, and the apple store, and other cool prizes. You could even get enough for an iPhone, but that would be a lot of searching. The search results are from Google and Ask.com, so if you're searching, you might as well get something for it.

http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=482601

Quickoffice Now Available in App Store

Quickoffice is now available in the App Store for $19.99. It hasn't gotten great reviews so far, but future updates will likely fix most of the problems that are being brought up.

Rumors of a New Hulu App

It is rumored that Hulu will be releasing a new app soon. The one feature I want most on my iPhone is to watch TV, whether it be live or previously recorded. There are other apps out there that offer mobile television, such as CBS's TV.com app, but nothing comparable to this. The sheer magnitude of full episodes on Hulu.com is amazing, and to have access to all of those shows on the go would be even more amazing. 

Now for the bad news. A much as I hate to say it, there is a chance that Apple would not approve this app for the App Store. I understand that the availability of this app would hurt the sales of TV show sales, but the availability of Hulu will also bring new attention to the iPhone and iPod Touch. And besides, even without this app, I wouldn't buy a TV Show from iTunes, and i have never bought one since they became available (If I win the $10,000 iTunes giftcard from Apple's Billion App Countdown contest, that might change though). 

So, let's all cross our fingers and hope that this app will be approved. 

New Poll Shows Apple's Dominance Among Teens

After taking a look at Piper Jaffray's biannual Teen Survey, it is clear, as expected, that Apple has a very promising future. Out of the 600 teens surveyed, 86% had an iPod (or any variation), while only 4% had a Zune and 2% a Sony. And of the 114 teens who plan on purchasing an mp3 player in the next 12 months, a whopping 100% plan on getting an iPod.

Although 600 people isn't a huge platform for a survey, there is no doubt that Apple has a significant leg up against all other competitors.

Almost 1 BILLION App Downloads

Today, Apple anounced that they have almost reached the 1 billion mark for the number of apps downloaded. To celebrate, Apple has announced a contest. All that you have to do is download apps from the App Store, either from your computer, or from your iPhone/iPod Touch, and you will be entered (there's a limit of 25 entries per person per day). Prizes include a 17" Macbook Pro, a 32GB iPod Touch, and a $10,000 iTunes giftcard. The contest will end once the 1 billionth app is downloaded, so start downloading now if you want to win. I'm not really sure what you would do with $10,000 of iTunes credit, but I'm sure I could manage.

Click here for more information.

App Review: Rolando

I have had Rolando for a while now, and I love it. This game has to be one of best games, if not the best game, for the iPhone. With great visuals, easy to use mechanics, and very interactive gameplay, make it continuously entertaining. Each of the 34 levels seems to add a new aspect to the game, whether it be bomb dispensers, catapults, or new bad guides to avoid. The goal is to save the Rolandos by navigating them to the end of each level using the tilt, tap, and multitouch controls.

The game's first levels give you a good explanation of all the different Rolandos (normal, royalty and spikey) and how to guide them to safety, so there is little confusion on the way. Even after you complete all of the levels, you will still have a challenge. There are three bonuses to complete for each level: the gem bonus (collect all of the gems on the level), the time bonus (finish before time runs out), and the Rolando bonus (save all of the Rolandos). There is also a cool feature, called iSave, that saves our progress automatically if you get a call or exit the app and displays a badge on the icon telling you how many saved levels you have.

It is clear that the developers, Hand Circus and ngmoco, put a ton of time into the creation of this app, and it is well worth the $4.99 (it was worth the $9.99 when that was the price). And if you have any doubt about purchasing this app, try the lite version, which is now available for free in the App Store

Pros:

• Fun Gameplay
• Easy-to-Use Mechanics
• Awesome Visuals
• Tons of Levels
• Extremely Interactive

Cons:

• None (Some might say the price is too high, but i disagree)

Overall Rating: 10/10

Coming Soon: Quickoffice for iPhone

Quickoffice, a mobile software for creating, editing, sharing, and viewing Microsoft Office documents, is set to be available in the App Store sometime this month. It will cost $19.99, a relatively high price for an iPhone App, but not too unreasonable if you compare it to other Microsoft Office software. I believe it will be well worth it for anyone who deals with lots of Office documents, whether it be for work or school. 

Quickoffice currently has an App called Quicksheets, which allows you to create and edit Excel spreadsheets among other things, available in the App Store for $12.99

Quickoffice for iPhone will include:

• Quickword® - Create, View & Edit Microsoft® Word Document
• Quicksheet® - Create, View & Edit Microsoft® Excel Spreadsheets
• Quickoffice® Files - Provides rich features to transfer files between your computer and iPhone. Allows you to view many different file formats including PDF, iWork, PowerPoint and pictures

App Review: Flight Control

After having the Flight Control app for a little over a week, and playing it just about everyday, I have decided that it was well worth every penny, especially since it's only $.099 for a limited time. The game is very simple, using your finger, you draw paths for incoming aircraft to their designated runways or landing zones. Your goal is to get as many aircraft to land without hitting each other. At first it is very easy, but as you get farther there are more aircraft to worry about, and it can get very chaotic. For people who like games involving micromanaging, and are good at multitasking, this is the game for you. The simple, easy to use interface, makes the game fun and addicting. It is one of those games that I keep telling myself "just one more time," but I never seem to put it down.

Pros:

• Fun, addictive game
• Simple interface
• Ability to Pause 
• Records Statistics

Cons:

• Doesn't save current game if you leave the app or receive a call.
• No global high scores

Overall Rating: 9/10

Case Review: Switcheasy Capsule Neo

Today I received the Switcheasy Capsule Neo case for my iPhone that I ordered 4 days ago. I have been researching cases for the past few weeks, and was finally able to make my decision. I immediately loved the look of this case when I first saw it online, but some of the things that I read in reviews made me hesitate to purchase it. I read that it scratched and broke easily. Because of this I sent an email to Switcheasy asking them about their return policy and they responded to me with the following:

"If you originally purchased your case from switcheasy.com and you find our product don't live up to your expectations, you have the option for exchange or refund."

I took this to mean that if i was unsatisfied at all, including if it broke during use, I would be able to get a replacement or refund, so I purchased it. 

Upon receiving the package and opening it, I was pleasantly surprised by the packaging and all of the accessories that they included, including the video stand, screen protectors, and dock adaptor, as well as the power connection and headphone jack protectors, which I'll probably lose in a few days, though. 

The case wasn't as difficult to put on as I though it would be, but it did take some effort, especially with the 0.6mm ultra-thin membrane that goes under the other two pieces (they provide an extra membrane just in case you rip the first one in the process).

My first impression of the case is very good. I love the sleek look and the mixture of texture provided by the different pieces. I also like the affect that the membrane creates, because the buttons are covered, but still very easily accessible. There are only two negative things that I have noticed so far. First, the logo on the back sticks out, making the phone wobbly when lying on a flat surface, and, second, as I mentioned before, it is somewhat difficult to put on. These two aspects do not come anywhere near outweighing all of the positive ones though, and the only thing I am afraid of is it breaking or scratching. I will be back with an update soon to inform you of any changes in my opinion of this case.

Pros:

• Sleek appearance
• Good protection
• Lots of bonus accessories

Cons:

• Logo sticks out
• Somewhat difficult to put on

Overall Rating: 9/10 

Here are some pictures that I took of the case: