World Of Warcraft For The iPhone?

iPhone Hacks has posted a new article about the possibility of the popular massive multiplayer online role-playing game "World Of Warcraft" being ported for the iPhone.

Do you think the iPhone can handle the 3D graphics?  You probably wouldn't be able to play on servers meant for desktops.  Blizzard will probably set up iPhone-only servers.  Do you think there will be a subscription or a one-time App Store fee?

Check out the YouTube video:

Radical New iPhone Games!

I've bought a few great iPhone games that I think will REALLY push the mobile gaming envelope.

2XL Supercross [iTunes link] - I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a big fan of games that look good.  And so far, 2XL Supercross has got to be one of the best-looking iPhone games out there.  The physics of the game is awesome and it's quite different from other racing games out there.  The controls take some getting used to, but once you get going you're going to get some serious air time.  At 67.2MB, it's a very deep game for the $7.99 you pay for it.

Glyder [iTunes link] - Okay, so you fly around picking up crystals.  Doesn't sound too enticing, but I found it strangely challenging and fun.  I love the 3-D world where you can fly between islands.  Makes it seems like a really huge game.  Also, the graphics are quite amazing for a 7.9MB  game.  However, rebooting your iPhone before starting up is a good idea since it crashed on me every time I didn't reboot.  I purchased this game at an introductory price of $.99 but it also seems that its regular price of $1.99 isn't that bad either.

Trivial Pursuit [iTunes link] - Well, if you like Trivial Pursuit you'll like this game.  I normally don't like quiz games but I like the challenge of Trivial Pursuit.  This iPhone version doesn't give as much eye candy as the other Electronic Arts board game Monopoly.  But, at $4.99, I think it's a steal.  Let's face it.  A lot of iPhone games require that you physically get into the game.  While using the accelerometer is a fun and engaging way to play games, sometimes you're just tired.  That's when I play Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit.

The Masters 2009 Live

This is probably the BEST sports app I've had to date. I mean, MLB.com At Bat is REALLY good, but The Masters 2009 Live [iTunes link] is FREE and streams LIVE video over Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE. And it looks REALLY good on 3G.

Aside from the great streaming video, you got a live scoreboard, tee times and course stats.

It's FREE, so go ahead and download it if you're a big golf fan.

MLB.com At Bat 2009

It's time to play BASEBALL!  And anyone who has an iPhone and is an ardent fan of their favorite Major League Baseball team, MLB.com At Bat 2009 [iTunes link] is a must have!

This year, the big feature is Gameday Audio and I have to admit, it is impressive.  I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan who lives in Honolulu, so games don't get televised a lot here.  And while the video in "At Bat" is nice, it doesn't get posted fast enough to follow it live.  Gameday Audio loads up VERY quickly and sounds very good, even on 3G.  I can hear the audio of the game and watch every pitch be updated in "At Bat" just a few seconds later.  It's a great experience.  Take note NFL and NBA - THIS is how you do a great sports app.

It's not cheap - it's $9.99.  But, I bought "At Bat" last year for $7.99 and it wasn't available until July 11, 2008.  So, I'm getting a much better deal this year.  Most likely, this app will get a price decrease as the season goes along so if you're content for late-season or just a post-season app, you will probably be able to do so.

But, if you're a BIG fan of baseball, you need this NOW.

Skype for the iPhone/iPod Touch 2G Released!

Skype [iTunes link] for the iPhone and second-generation iPod Touch is now available in the iTunes App Store and it's free!  You can make Skype-to-Skype calls for free over Wi-Fi, calls to landlines and mobile phones at lower rates and instant messaging over any internet connection.  Although reviews on iTunes have been tough, a friend who uses Skype a lot really likes it.  I only have one friend who is on Skype and he didn't answer my Skype call.

Not Your Daddy's "Duck Hunt"

The big game out this week on the iPhone is "Metal Gear Solid Touch" [iTunes link] from Konami, which is the latest version of the popular series.
Another tech website called it another version of "Duck Hunt," which was popular at the arcade in the 80s and on the original Nintendo game console. Although you cannot move around, I think that might be a good thing since trying to move your player in a 3-D environment can be challenging on the iPhone (e.g. Brothers In Arms). Here's a video of the game and you decide:

Top Movies I Want On Blu-Ray

With my first several Blu-Ray Disc purchases, I've bought more concert titles than movies because there aren't much movies I want to own that I already don't have on DVD.  And, I have a self-imposed rule:  if I want to buy a movie on Blu-Ray that I already have on DVD, I'll have to sell the DVD first.  So, I'm eBaying a few titles to get the hang of selling and then I'm going through my whole collection and see what I don't mind parting with.

Still, I noticed a lack of variety in the movies that are available on Blu-Ray.  Here's my top picks for movies or franchises I want to see released on Blu-Ray:

1. "Star Wars" - The movies that started my love affair for film.  Although I do want the original trilogy more than the prequel trilogy, I think I'd want all of them.
2. "Back To The Future" Trilogy - We had to wait a LONG time for this to come out on DVD and it would be no surprise if we had to wait just as long for the Blu-Ray.  These are movies that harken me back to my childhood.

3. "Fight Club" - This was one of the best DVD sets in the infancy of the format and it could be equally cool on Blu-Ray.  Fantastic visuals and a kick-ass soundtrack would make this movie a winner in HD.

4. "Indiana Jones" Trilogy - Although "Kingdom Of the Crystal Skull" is already out on Blu-Ray, I'm not so hot on it since I already have it on DVD (especially in my cool steelbook).  The real gems are the first three movies which would be awesome in HD.

5. "The Lord Of The Rings" Trilogy - While I would not appreciate buying more of this movie series (I have theatrical and extended editions on DVD), LOTR would look and sound really awesome on a big screen and in Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio.

This Week's iPhone Apps

TouchSports™ Tennis '09 [iTunes link] - Just bought this wonderful 3-D tennis game for $.99 on the App Store.  The controls are easy:  just touch once to serve; hit the screen again to get the max power; and touch on the screen where you want your player to hit the ball.  Each player has their own strengths and weaknesses.  This game used to be $4.99 at one point so $.99 is really steal.  Highly recommended.

Hawaiian Rainbow: Hawaiian Music Radio [iTunes link] - If you want some Hawaiian Island sounds, look no further than this iPhone app that streams music from Hawaii.  It's a nice little app even for someone like me who actually lives in Hawaii.

On a personal note:

My father passed away this past Monday.  That's why I haven't been updating this site this week.  This blog is dedicated to him because he has always taken an interest in what I'm into - up until the day he died.  One week ago he really encouraged me to buy one particular television that he knew I wanted and it was at a good price.  So, I bought it at his insistence.  Last Saturday, I bought a new TV stand and we put it together and got everything working by the night.  He got to enjoy the television on Saturday night and all of Sunday.  Monday morning he passed away in his sleep.  Looking back, it was one of the most fun weekends I got to spend with him.  Somehow, I think he might have known that the end was coming and made sure I did all of this while he was here.  Thanks, Dad.

Making The Blu-Ray Plunge

I am pretty much waist-deep into the High-Definition revolution.  All I need to do now is buy a new TV stand (and get rid of the old one), set up my new HDTV and Blu-Ray player and switch out our cable box/DVR for a hi-def version.  I'm hoping this will all get done within the next couple of weeks.

It's been 10 years since I made the plunge into DVDs and I have an embarassingly large library of movies, documentaries and television shows.  I didn't plan on investing in a high-def format this early.

With that said, I'm not going to replacing my old DVDs with Blu-Ray. If I'm going to double-dip, I'm going to have to sell the DVD.

I have already ordered Yes: Live at Montreux 2003 and Rush: Snakes and Arrows Live from Amazon.com.

In recent years, I've put some self-imposed rules on my movie-buying.  I ask questions like "How many times will I watch this again?" and "Will I at least watch this once a year?"  Now, I'm thinking about MORE questions about buying Blu-Ray titles.  "Do I already have this on DVD?"  "Is this worth upgrading to Blu-Ray?"  Looking at the available Blu-Ray titles, it doesn't look like I'll be buying much.  I already get Blockbuster DVD titles through the mail and it looks like I'll be using that for Blu-Ray titles as well.

I don't think Blu-Ray will overtake DVD any time soon.  But, I've been waiting a long time to make the hi-def upgrade and I think this is the time.

DanceDanceRevolution S For The iPhone Is Out!

Okay.  I gave in.  I bought DanceDanceRevolution S [iTunes link] for the iPhone for $6.99.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is the largest iPhone game I have seen in terms of megabytes.  This app weighs in at 105MB. My second largest game, "Hero Of Sparta," is 83.8MB.  I believe my largest app is Beatmaker at 149MB.

I like "Saturday Night Fever: Dance!" and "Tap Tap Revenge 2" but DDR S surpasses them both easily.  Highly recommended.

Read Kindle Books On Your iPhone

Making a Kindle app for the iPhone [iTunes link] must feel like a double-edged sword for Amazon.com.  The iPhone app will sell a lot more Kindle books but there is no guarantee that it will translate into selling more Kindles.
By the way, if you don't know what a Kindle is it's the electronic version of reading books.  Although the Kindle 2 is much thinner and lighter than the original Kindle, it will set you back $359. You'll have to be an AVID reader to get your money's worth.

As far as the iPhone app goes, I don't have any Kindle books nor do I really have the urge to buy one.  But, I wish you could at least browse through the available Kindle books and buy one through the app like the Amazon.com Mobile App.  Let's see if this app will light the fire on electronic books or if these Kindle books will simply burn out.

Tap Tap Revenge 2 Is Out!

The sequel to the popular iPhone game "Tap Tap Revenge" is out and is FREE.  "Tap Tap Revenge 2" [iTunes link] has a new look and new ways to "tap."  There's also new ways to play including online play, which I haven't tried yet.

Anyway, go ahead and download it.  Let me know what you think about it.  And fall in love again.

FREE March iPhone Apps

There are a LOT of great free apps available for the iPhone today:

Pharos IV Assault Lite [iTunes link] - This is a very well done first-person space shooter.  Once you calibrate your iPhone with the game and get used to the controls it's a lot of fun.  Those who are used to flight simulators will have an easier time than the casual gamer.  My only complaint is the small firing button in the upper right-

hand corner.  FREE

Tiki Towers Lite [iTunes link] - It's a cross between Lemmings and Touch Physics.  You use the touchscreen to build a bamboo bridge for these monkeys to grab bananas.  However, you cannot let them die so you need to build a safe bridge.  Great graphics and a lot of fun!  FREE

TV.com [iTunes link] - Stream your favorite CBS and CW shows on your iPhone through 3G or Wi-Fi.  The quality is not that good but it's free and it's convenient.  One episode of "CSI:Miami" was in a stretched 16x9 mode, which was distracting.  Other shows were nicely letterboxed.  One nice thing is that each episode is separated into several clips which makes loading faster.  It also includes videos from Showtime, CNet, Gamespot and more.  FREE

Guitarist's Reference [iTunes link] - If you are a serious guitarist, you should get this app.  I don't think I need to explain this app.  It's FREE and it's awesome.

SkyFighter Lite [iTunes link] - Another great vertical scrolling

 shoot'em-up game similar to 1942.  I like the way you use the accelerometer to control your plane.  Ammo is limited but you've got missiles and one nuke.  Fun if you like this type of game. FREE

Tapes [iTunes link] - And, finally, here's yet another free recording app.  This one is great for those who remember using the old cassette tape recorders.  You record, rewind, fast-forward, play and even eject your "tape."  Each different voice file is a different cassette.  It's easy to use and very cute.

V-Moda Vibe II Unboxing

AT&T 4G Network By 2011?

iPhone Freak is reporting that AT&T plans to roll out its 4G network in two years.  I'm not sure if the 3G speed/dropped calls problem is still prevalent after what Apple and AT&T has been doing, but it seems that we are moving very quickly to yet another system that could cause future problems.  On the other hand, 4G is about 15 times faster than 3G.  Here in Honolulu, I have never had problems with the 3G network so I can really recommend the iPhone to people here.

I'm sure Sprint's decision to go 4G first has something to do with this.  And perhaps, AT&T isn't crazy about streaming video on 3G but would be more willing to do that on the 4G network.  I'm not sure if Apple will keep the iPhone exclusive to AT&T, but I wouldn't be surprised if a 4G iPhone also comes out in 2011.  Just something to think about when (and if) a new iPhone comes out this summer.

Marvel Motion Comics Coming To iPhone

If you're a fan of comics, like me, but do not have any desire to go out and buy comics then Marvel's new Motion Comics could be for you!

Marvel Motion Comics is a new way to enjoy your favorite superheroes on your iPhone and iPod Touch.  The comic characters literally come alive with simple motion and actors providing their voices.  The motion comic I will definitely get is "The Astonishing X-Men."  I'm not sure how much it will be priced but I'm hoping it will not be more than $5.

Here's a sample of a motion comic:

Thursday's FREE iPhone Apps

i Love Katamari Lite [iTunes link] - This is the free version of the fun game by Namco. I was hesitant to buy the full game at $7.99 but I really had a lot of fun playing the free one.  Basically you have to roll a ball and pick up items.  As you get bigger, you can pick up BIGGER items.  I'm now considering buying the full game - perhaps at a sale price.

MLB.com At Bat Lite [iTunes link] - For those who have never used the MLB.com At Bat app from the last baseball season, here's your chance to see all of the features first-hand for FREE.  This app will provide everything the paid app eventually will for the regular season.  It will have stats for the World Baseball Classic and for some Spring Training games.  If you are a die-hard fan of one or more teams, At Bat is a must-have.  I'm going to buy it again.

UPDATE:  For those who want to know how much MLB.com At Bat is going to cost here's a guess:  last year's app cost $4.99 when I bought it on July 10th (yes, a day before the iPhone 3G was released).  That gave me scores for the last 2.5 months of the season.  I hope the price will be $4.99.  But at the same time, I could see the price being DOUBLE that.  $9.99 isn't unheard of for an app.  As the season goes on, the price point will get lower because there will be less games to cover.

gNotes [iTunes link] - Now that my iPhone is synced with Google Calendar and Contacts, syncing up with Google Notebook would also be useful.  gNotes does exactly that.  The app is free for a limited time.  Performance is wonderful! Syncing is instantaneous.  I'll need to use this a little more to give a more balanced review.

Gambling Regulators Worried About Card-Counting App

Nevada gambling regulators are warning casinos about a card-counting app for the iPhone and iPod Touch that can, according to an Associated Press report, "illegally help players beat the house in blackjack."

Card counting is not illegal but using a device to count cards is.  It's also interesting to point out that one of the members of the Nevada Gaming Control Board says that there hasn't been any reports of the program being used in Nevada.  So, I suppose this warning is preemptive?  I wonder which app got them worried?

Card Counter [iTunes link] teaches you how to count cards and its current description on iTunes almost takes credit for scaring the Nevada Gaming Control Board!  Card Counting Practice [iTunes link]  also teaches a card-counting technique.

But, the real culprit could be A Blackjack Card Counter [iTunes link].  It even has an "As Seen On CNN" banner.  For most part though, all of these apps have a warning that using the app in a casino is illegal.